


Stay With Me

by sapphire_elliore



Category: Ghost Hunt
Genre: F/M, NaruMai, in case of confusions that is also me, this is also posted way before on ff net, yup look at me i'm also here now
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-10-24
Updated: 2016-11-12
Packaged: 2018-08-24 09:54:35
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 20,396
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8367931
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sapphire_elliore/pseuds/sapphire_elliore
Summary: It isn't a song, it's a plea. He was gone for five years, and she changed, he knew. It's gonna be a long and slow ride before everything settles down to what its meant to be. It's a long fight. But he prays, oh he prays, not to lose her. He already lost his brother, but can the fates spare the love of his life? NaruMai. AND other implied pairings.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So i'm here at AO3, haha.
> 
> This was long posted in ff.net; in case you might have encountered this piece before from that site. It's the same. 
> 
> But for the peeps who'll be JUST reading this, hi!
> 
> (reviews/kudos are appreciated!)

"Maaaaaaaiiiiiiiiiiiii-chaaaaaaannnnnnn!" A familiar voice rang through the halls of the Psychology building.

 _What now?_ She thought to herself as she stepped out of one of its lecture rooms and gave a dry stare at the guy who was now hugging her.

"Yasu! Could you please lower your tone down! As much as you're excited for whatever case we have now, please shut up!" Mai exclaimed as she broke from the hug, staring at her best friend-at least one of them.

"Mai, the classes are over!" Yasuhara whined.

"Still." Mai insisted. "So, a new case?"

"As much as you know me, boss. It isn't the case."

Mai stared at him for a while. "NO."

"No, what?" Yasu innocently asked.

"I'm not going out with your friends." She said firmly.

"Oh-kay. Okay. Geez, Mai. It wouldn't harm you to go out and move on."

"I already did. Now shut up and take me home." She shrugged as she dragged him out of the campus, and out of _that_ topic.

 

*

 

_Me or Gene?_

_His smile shone through the sun-lit forest, his eyes bearing anguish... he walks away, his oh-so-perfect figure trailing back through the clearing..._

 

_**"I just can't keep hanging on... i don't know what is wrong... to you and me..."** _

 

"DAMN IT!" Mai exclaimed as she slammed her fist on the table, slowly sitting up, eyes blinking.

_And who says I did move on. Dammit._

Her eyes took in the dark office surroundings. The once wooden tale filled with books and papers are now filled with two books, several folders, and a backpack.

No phone.

She stood up groggily, groaning as she walked out of the dark room and opened the lights.

"Aw!" She exclaimed as the light pierced through her eyes.

"Geez, where's that damn phone!" She exclaimed as sge can still here the song going on repeat, she walked through the couches, her old desk, basically through the meeting room of the office of the Shibuya Psychic Research.

Irritated, she sighed as she stood up from looking below.

 

_**"I just don't know what is wrong..."** _

 

"What are you doing here?" That familiar cold and questioning tone made her groan.

She stood up and turned to the two men on the doorway, one a Chinese man who nodded at her presence, the other, (who was very unwelcome in her eyes) raised a questioning eyebrow.

She didn't care about them- technically _just him,_ seeing her in her wrinkled clothes. She ran a hand through her hair. She then stared back at the man in front of her, who was still clad in all black.

 

_**"To you and me..."** _

 

_I'll find that phone soon. But not now._

 

"Why, _Shibuya-san,_ this is my office. The question is; _what are you doing here at 3am in the morning?"_


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm always grateful for the blessing that is the copy-paste function.
> 
> Where would I be without it.

When he opened the door, not expecting it to be unlocked, he never expected to see the woman who was staring back at them.

_Woman, no longer a girl._

Gone were the innocent, schoolgirl flimsy skirts and attire. Her once short hair were now long, brown, and curly locks. Her eyes were now brimming with amusement-and part wonder. She did not blush and stutter when she saw him. She just stared at the two of them, tucked a loose curl in her ear, and smiled.

If anyone was suddenly stupefied and uncomfortable, it was him. He found himself staring at her. Part surprise and part wonder on who this woman before them. _Not that he doesn't know who she is. He perfectly knew._

The song was no longer playing, her statement hanging in the air. And for the first time, he didn't know how to respond.

"Sorry to disturb you at this time of the evening, Taniyama-san." Lin spoke, still bearing the formalities.

"You didn't disturb me from my sleep, my...missing phone did. Please come in, you both look tired. Tea?" She replied as she motioned for them to come inside and sit down, which they both did.

"Please." Naru spoke. He was tired, and if anything could ease his fatigue and _worries,_ it would be her tea.

"Geez, from the looks of you two, you went through a lot huh? I mean, I received the email from BSPR concerning the two of you going back, but i never expected the both of you _this early_." She said, standing in front of them, her arms folded on her chest.

"I'm as prompt as I could be, _Taniyama-san_. You should know that." Naru replied, slightly hoping to get a ruse out of his old assistant.

"Of course, _Naru._ Not _this prompt_ , though." She replied as she shrugged and walked towards the kitchen. "I'll make some tea. You two make yourselves comfortable."

Naru turned to his assistant who was now smirking at him. " _Lin,"_ he started.

"Surprised?" Lin innocently asked, the meaning _heavily_ implied beneath the one-word question.

"Madoka changed you." Naru simply snapped back, still as cold as ever.

"It's called _marriage_ , Noll." Lin only said as he opened his laptop, deciding to email both his wife and Naru's parents, informing them all of their safe arrival. Safe, but _awkward._

"OH! YOU'RE MARRIED?!" Mai exclaimed as she went back to them, tea in hand as she placed them on the table in front of them. She then took hers and sat on the black couch opposite them. "Now, now, what will Yasu say?"

"Just recently. Thanks for the tea." Lin replied as he set the laptop aside and took the cup set for him.

"Sure, sure. Congratulations! I hope I still got your tea right, Naru." She replied.

Naru took a sip. It was still the same. But richer. "Yes." He only said, to which Mai nodded. It wasn't meant for an answer, but he guessed it sufficed.

"Sorry to crash in the office, Taniyama-"

"Stop saying sorry and please drop the honorifcs. I told you; its okay. If you can't find a place, I still have two apartment units upstairs. Don't worry about the lease or anything." SHE offered, although hiding the slight irritation in her tone.

"Mai-" LIn was about to reply when Naru interrupted him.

"We'll take it. thank you."

_And there he goes saying thanks._ Mai thought as she continued playing with the cup in her hands.

The next few minutes were silent between the three of them. Mai decided not to engage in any topic at all. Naru was still contemplating to do so and at the same time observing her, and Lin was too busy watching on how the two's first encounter again will play after a _very long_ time.

_NO conversation starter at all? Well, I guess we better pack this up._ And with a yawn, Mai decided to do the talking.

"Would you two like to go up? I'm pretty beat up, as you can see." She suggested.

"I think that would be for the best." Naru only replied as Mai then stood up, took the cups, and then headed back to the kitchen.

"Are you sure _this_ would be for _the best_?" Lin asked Naru when Mai was busying herself back in the kitchen, out of earshot.

"If you mean by getting a good night's sleep then; yes." Naru coldly replied, knowing that there was nore to the onmiyuji's statement.

"Really?" Lin only said as Mai now went towards them.

"Shall we?" She only asked, smiling.

 

*

 

_The three words came out of his mouth. With bitterness._

 

_"_ _Me or Gene?"_

 

_And that was the first time he ever felt so crushed._

_She just stared at him, both in surprise and shock._

_**Gene.** The answer was firm in his head. Just a misinterpretation._

_He just smiled at her, trying to hide the painful tug in his heart. It was always Gene. I'm not even-_

_And then he heard sobs. Soft sobs._

_And that when he regretted stepping away and not confessing back--_

 

_**"WHAAAAAATTTTTTTT?!"** _

 

Naru suddenly sat up, groaning. _Was that her?_ He thought as he walked out of the bedroom and headed towards the door, planning to knock at Mai's door. _Not that I'm not thankful for the interruption._ He thought as he went out.

And that's when he halted, silently closed the door, leaned on the wall, and watched Mai as she furiously talked on the phone.

"NO! What do you mean 30 minutes? I told you that...YASSSUUUUUUUUU! I have nothing formal to wear! And you know how our Psych Prof gets mad! WHAT? YASSUUUUUU!"

Nary smiled. _Looks like she forgot to do her laundry on her formal clothes._

He then took the sight before him. Her hair was tied upwards by a messy bun, loose curls hanging, exposing her neck. She was wearing an over-sized white shirt and...boxers? _Not bad for-wait, what am I thinking?_ He thought as he shut further  _thoughts_ from his mind. He then decided to just try, piss her off.

 

*

 

MAI WAS DAMNED. Yasu is coming to pick her up in thirty minutes, and she forgot to do her formal clothes laundry last night! Now she is going to be so screwed!

"Good thing you didn't wake up Lin with your loud whining." A very familiar voice said behind her, shocking her.

Turning, she saw who it was.

Naru, in nothing but gray pajamas and a black shirt on, exposing his now well-toned body. Mai wouldn't put it as all muscular hunk but it was _sexy._ And that's when she stopped herself.

"I know I'm still handsome even just from bed, but aren't you running late on your schedule?" Naru remarked, a smirk on his face. _You narcisstic jerk! Five years and your attitude still didn't change!_ Mai thought, then inwardly calming herself.

"As much as I would like to inflate your ego on all of your morning glory, like you said, i am running late." Mai replied as she sighed. _I can't believe I'm gonna ask him this._ "Can I borrow a polo from you?"

Naru looked stunned. Then he smirked. "Now that's over the li-"

"Whatever. Can I? Pleeeeeaaaasssseeee? I need to wear something formal for class." She pleaded. _Desperate times calls for desperate measures._ She thought.

Naru sighed. "Fine. Come in." _She did help us find a place._ He thought as he went to the dresser to get it. _Not because I would like to see her in my shirt. No._

 

*

 

SHE EXPECTED IT WOULD BE BLACK. She doesn't care anymore. At least she gets to borrow one.

 

_**"I just can't keep hanging on-"** _

 

"YASU! GIVE ME FIVE MINUTES!" She exclaimed over the phone as she took her bag and walked out of her apartment, then locking the door.

_"Fine. But if you're not down by then i'll go up!"_

"Sure." Mau said as she hang up, placing the phone in her jeans pocket and then proceeded with the door lock..

She then placed her bag down and tried to fix her-Naru's sleeves when her phone rang again.

"Dammit!" She swore, not paying it any attention.

"Let me." A voice said. She then felt Naru's hands fixing her-his sleeves.

"T-thanks." She muttered.

"I thought you had enough brain cells to fix your schedule but looks like I was wrong." He said as he continued to fold it upwards. "How long?" He asked, his fingers pointing to his sleeve.

"Uh, here." Mai replied as she pointed her elbow.

Naru continued, his hands delicately folding the cloth. She can feel tingles running down her skin. _No, no, no, Mai. Not. Do not._

He can feel her breath heavily as he moved to the other sleeve. She was just staring at him, her eyelashes fluttering at him. _Control._ He thought to himself.

"I know you're a tea loving addict but I didn't expect it to be the scent of your clothes too." Mai muttered, trying not to make things awkward.

"It's the fabric softener. I never really paid attention." He only said as he finished the sleeve, his hands remaining on her elbow, gazing at her, meeting up her gaze.

Blue to brown.

"You're very delicate with your clothes, huh?" Mai asked him, trapped in his gaze. _Yasu be damned._

"Not just with clothes." Naru replied as he can feel the heat of their gazes, and her soft hand clutching his-probably trying to remove his hand. But it stayed.

"Delicate." Mai only muttered as she can feel him inching towards her. _What the hell is happening?_

"Let's see." Naru challenged, his gaze never leaving hers. Trapped. _What the bloody hell am I doing?_

_**Damn.**_ Both of them thought as they inch closer-few spaces apart-

"WELL LOOK WHAT DO WE HAVE HERE!" a very familiar voice exclaimed. Mai removed his hand, and stepped a few spaces away to meet the bespectacled man behind them, who was standing by the stairwell.

"Yasu!" Mai exclaimed.

"Big boss! Hi!" He greeted Naru. Naru just nodded at him.

"Why are you up here! I told you to wait!" Mai protested.

"Five minutes, remember? Sorry to interrupt _whatever_ it is the two of you are doing, but we have to go." Yasy said as he dragged Mai, Mai taking her bag as she went with him.

Naru just stared at their retreating figures-mainly on Mai's.

"I'll wash it and return it to you Naru! Thanks!" Mai exclaimed.

"Keep it, maybe you'll remember to be early to work and make my tea." He loudly replied.

"YOU TEA-LOVING NARCISSIST!"

It was a phrase that he missed hearing for five years.

_I like her in my shirt._ He thought as he went back to his apartment, thinking about that close encounter earlier. How Mai was trapped and enticed by his presence.

_Gene be damned._ He thought. _I'm in love with her._


	3. CASE ONE: Ungodly Possession; Part One

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The case begins. 
> 
> *plays the Sherlock (BBC) theme desperately*

 

 

IF YOU ASKED NARU BEFORE IF HE WOULD EVER ENVISION A WOMAN WEARING ANY OF HIS SHIRTS AND LIKING IT VERY MUCH, he would definitely disagree and give you one of his signature icy glares. But now was different. His reaction was a fifty-fifty on Mai asking to borrow any of his shirts. But the other fifty won, as he now stared at the stairwell where the woman and her friend rushed out. He can still picture her perfectly on his mind. Her white skinny jeans emphasizing her slender legs, his shirt still too big for her (it was the smallest size he had), her hair up in a loose bun, showing off her neck, her skin that tingles as his fingers longingly graze as he helped her fold the sleeves. Her brown eyes that seem to take him in, to almost break his walls down just for her. Just to give her the message that he failed to give her five years ago; _he liked her. Very much. Actually, too much._ But he knew it will never be that _easy_ and that _fast._

Even if he knew all of those facts, he still got _very pissed_ with Yasuhara's interruption. But knowing Yasuhara's unstoppable antics when it comes to him and Mai, he will have to get him busy. Why does he know Yasuhara will do it? The smirk flashed at him before he and Mai completely disappear from his sight earlier was one thing. And that was probably enough.

"I know you're really trying to woo her back to you, Noll. But not _that fast_! You seem to be in a hurry." He heard his assisstant and long time friend, mentor, and bodyguard. _So he saw._

"I'm really starting to think that you're Madoka in Lin's body. Do I have to exorcise you?" Naru snapped back as he turned to face Lin.

"My wife isn't dead, Noll. She's in England. Now if you would excuse me, it's time to give her a hello." Lin replied as he excused himself.

"How long have you.." Naru trailed off, knowing that Lin would get the question.

Lin smirked at him. _Look at him, now acting like a teenage boy scared that somebody will find out his antics._ He thought as he received Naru's icy glare.

"How long have I found myself standing in front of my apartment door staring at the two of you? _Enough_ to see you two get flustered by Yasuhara himself." He replied, waiting to see his reaction.

But Naru just nodded, then made a gesture saying he can go back to whatever he was doing.

"Noll." He called.

"What?" The young man asked, as he was about to step inside his own apartment _We have to talk to Mai about the lease._

"We have a case assignment from BSPR. I called the others if they want to go with us, and they said they'll arrive later, probably before lunch." He answered.

Naru seemed to think about Lin's statement. _If it's from BSPR, we can't really deny it._ He thought.

"Give me the case file later. I think Mai opened the office already. We can sit there and wait for the others." Naru replied back.

"The client will arrive later in thr afternoon, around 2pm. Mai just texted me." Lin added, hoping that the mention of her name won't be as noticed as possible.

Naru just nodded, and shut his door. Lin sighed. _Some things never really change._

 

*

 

"YASUHARA OSAMU WHY DID YOU LIE TO ME?!" Mai exclaimed in frustration as she and Yasu sat down at the back part of their lecture room, arriving 30 minutes early, much to her frustration.

And the cocky bastard just chuckled. "YASU, I SWEAR I AM DOCKING YOUR PAY IF-"

"Why? Finding yourself to be a happy girl by being in Naru's arms again?" Yasu teased. He was so going to enjoy this day. _Finding your boss going to be kissed by your old, narcisstic boss is a very rare sight._

"He was helping me with the sleeves. You were already making me panic earlier! And Naru's shirt is big so I had to adjust it! _Helping,_ Yasu." Mai shrugged Yasuhara's teasing statement with an excuse. He smiled. Mai was no longer blushing and stuttering and feeling very, very embarassed at his statements. _But did she just say-_

"THAT SHIRT IS NARU'S?!" He exclaimed, shocking himself, Mai, and the other few students who were early.

"Yeah. So?" Mai said, raising an eyebrow. Yasuhara thought about what he saw. _Mai borrowed a shirt. Naru lent her._ Then he remembered how caught up the two were earlier, how Naru looked at her with shining eyes-

"HE LIKES YOU IN HIS SHIRT~" Yasu teased.

"What? No. Stop it, Yasu." Mai replied, who was now annoyed.

"Oh, come on. I saw the shimmer in his eyes-and I'm sure you saw it! He was definitely gonna-ouch!" He stopped when Mai hit his head with a book.

"Shut up, Yasu." She said in a sing-song voice. Yasu gulped. _Okay, i'll stop. For now._

Mai was about to drift to her thoughts when a girl went in front the two of them and flashed them a bright smile. _Bright, fake, mocking smile._

"WOW, TANIYAMA-SAN! YOU'RE SO EARLY!" The girl exclaimed.

"Yeah, good morning." Mai politely replied, gritting her teeth. _I don't like where this is going._

"Guess you got off early from work last night, huh? How hard is it? Bet you got your job well done." She exclaimed.

Mai flashed her a smile. "Of course." She replied, her voice dripping with sarcasm. But the girl already went away from the two of them. She then frowned.

"I hate that bitch. What does she get from trying to imply what your job is?" Yasuhara scowled.

"Do I look like I care?" Mai huffed. Yasu smiled.

"Of course not, Mai-chan! You're way too engrossed with your little encounter with Naru!"

Mai smiled. "Whatever." She knew that Yasu was just trying to lighten her mood.

Yasuhara excuse himself as he glanced at his phone. It was a message from Lin concerning a new case.

"Mai," he called.

"What?"

"I think we're gonna have a way on how to stop that Bridgette Watson on implying things." Yasuhara said as he showed Mai the message he got from Lin.

 

*

 

Naru sighed. The client was in front of him, all prim and proper, with his two bodyguards behind him. He knew he had to act very attentive and interested.

This was the British diplomat, afterall.

"State your case, Mr. Watson." He said politely. The athmosphere was very tense, with Mai not around. Without his daily dose of her tea and her reassuring smile to the clients that their boss was just being a narcisstic ass, things got more unbearable. Five years without her and the team (he doesn't want to admit it, really) was hell.

"The BSPR recommended your team, Mr. Shibuya. I was doubtful at first as to why they would, but they said you were the Japanese branch of their organization and I heard your take on solving the Prime Minister's dilemma-"

"Please, sir. _Let's cut to the chase._ " Naru interrupted, saying the expression in English. The last thing he wanted to hear is someone completely underestimating his team.

"Noll," he can hear Lin mutter beside him, who was looking very busy with whatever he's doing with his laptop.

The diplomat smiled at him, which irked Naru more. "Very well. My daughter, Bridgette, has been slammed into a wall by an unknown force in her bedroom. That was three days ago. We checked the camera in her room but there was no one there. She was sleeping then slammed into the wall. After that it was just tapping sounds, things going missing, and screams. It frights us all especially my daughter. Please join the investigation." Ending his story, he turned and looked at the man in front of him. _He's very young to venture in his field._

"Who else would be joining besides us?" Naru asked.

"Dr. Oliver Davis himself, of course."

Cue the awkward silence. _Ah, so that's why they wanted me to take the case._

He smiled at the man. "We'll take the case."

 

*

 

"Taniyama Mai. Hello?"

_"Be at the office after your classes. Both you and Yasu."_

"You do realize that we're just outside the office door, Naru." Mai replied as she opened the door, looking straight at the man with a phone on his ear, an eyebrow raised at her.

"JOU-CHAAAAAANNNNNNNNNNN!"

"MAIIII!"

Cue the loud cheers and tight hugs. Mai was now stuggling to free herself from the Monk's hug.

"Bou-san, you just saw me yesterday!" Mai exclaimed, giggling as Monk let her away from his embrace.

"Let her go, you old man. Sorry about him, Mai. He's too old, he can't even remember yesterday." Ayako said as she hugged Mai, then smiled at her. Monk gave her a glare.

"You call me old, but look who's the one who forgot one of her suitcases. You old hag." Monk retorted as Ayako gave him a whack on the head.

"Just go and get it, Houshou. Please?" Ayako sighed. "You were the one who kept _distracting me_ when I was packing my things." She added with a smile.

Takigawa just stared at her. "You welcomed _my distraction_ with open arms. I'll go get it." He said, then shut the door behind him.

John just cleared his throat, noticing the quiet athmosphere. "Hello, Taniyama-san, Yasuhara-san." He greeted with his usual Kansai accent. Mai turned to his direction, and beamed.

"John-kun! Welcome back!" Mai exclaimed as she went towards him. "Please call me Mai. It's so great to see you again." She continued.

Yasuhara went to him and shook his hand. "I heard about it." He simply said.

Mai turned to him with a questioning look. John smiled.

"Yeah, I was surprised with the decision myself. I guess God has something else in store for me, ya know?" John replied. Yasuhara smirked.

"Oh, definitely." Yasuhara assured him.

"If you're done with your chat, maybe you can go and review the case file and focus on the job at hand, _which is what i'm paying you for._ "

"His royal ass is back." Yasuhara muttered, as he sat on the couch beside Ayako, who was now reading the case file. Mai giggled at the joke and went back to her desk. John just smiled and sat down.

"Oh, Mai." Naru called, a smirk on his face. Mai just glared at him then stood up, darting towards the kitchen, mumbling something between 'tea-addict' and 'narcissist', to Naru's pleasure.

"Thanks for inviting me to the case, Shibuya-san." John said, still not sure what to call him.

Naru set his notebook down and looked at them. "We need the team back, John. I suppose you can still do exorcisms?" He asked.

"Ah, yes. I'm still capable."

Naru just nodded.

"Uh, Shibuya-san," John called again, as if hesitating. "Is...Ma- I mean, will Hara-san be joining us?"

Naru looked at the ex-priest first. "Yes, but she said that she will be meeting us at the diplomat's house." Naru replied.

"Ah, thanks." John replied in acknowledgement, and sighed.

Yasuhara looked at the priest. He was shocked to hear from Takigawa that John quitted being a priest and decided to follow his father's footsteps on managing their shipping company. Takigawa also told him that John really didn't decide on it at firsthand, but it seems that John's father needed the help he could get. _John-san did it for his family._ But when Yasuhara heard John asking their narcisstic ass of a boss concerning Hara-san, he knew it was more than family. _John may not notice it, but I bet it helped him to decide to let his priesthood go so easily._

And when the place become quiet again as Naru went back to his notes, John now reading the caae file, and Ayako busy fiddling with her phone, Yasuhara decided to do the first thing he wanted to do after arriving.

"Let me tell you something, Matsuzaki-san, John-san." Yasuhara started, smirking at Naru, who was now glaring at him from the couch he was sitting on. "Mai looks good in black, doesn't she?" He then winked at them.

The two people he asked were surprised with his question. And on as if on queue, Mai went back to them, tray in hand. Ayako and John stared at her as she set the tray on the table. Naru took his first, then the rest of them.

"Thanks for the tea, Mai." John said, as he gave her a smile. Mai smiled back.

"I never saw you in black before, Mai-chan. Not that you really own one..." Ayako trailed off, Yasuhara's words sinking in. She then shot a glance at Naru then back at Mai.

"WHAT DID YOU DO TO MAI?!" Ayako exclaimed.

Naru calmly looked at Ayako. "Matsuzaki-san, I've done nothing but lend her the clothes that she needed." He spoke in a calm demeanor. Mai looked at him apologetically. He just stared back.

"Really? That better be-"

"Ayako, I just borrowed, okay? Nothing more. Naru, I need to have a word with you." Mai interrupted, placing a hand on top of Ayako's. Ayako muttered something and became quiet.

"In my office?" Naru asked, wondering what could she want to talk about.

"Is it okay? It's about the case." She then flashed one of her mega-watt smiles. Naru inwardly sighed. _How can he not say no?_

 

*

 

His office was clean, untouched even. He never expected it to be neatly arranged after his sudden arrival. He now sat at his office chair as he looked at the brunette who was now making herself comfortable on the couch set in front of his table.

"What do you want to talk about?" He asked, trying to start the conversation, hoping it would just be fast. Having her in this room away from the others and just with him was testing his control.

_Now, Noll. Don't be a teenage guy with hormones running wild. I thought you weren't that._ A taunting voice entered his mind.

"The case."

"You already said that. Mai, please. If you just want to spend time with me you don't need to make work as an excuse." He said with a smirk.

"Jerk!" Mai exclaimed as she adjusted herself on the seat. "I think you've heard about the Dove?" She then asked.

_The Dove._ Naru pondered on the name. _Famous psychic who goes incognito. No picture. She is known for her abilities and her white-clad attire. She is the current lead investigator of the infamous Shibuya Psychic Research Team._

_Lead investigator._

He then turned to Mai. "You?" He said softly. She smiled.

"Yeah. And I need you to compromise." She was now sitting straight, her gaze not leaving Naru's.

_Compromise?_

"I will not be just your assistant. That was before. Not now." She declared.

"Then what do you suggest your position would be?" He questioned. He knew that she was no longer his assistant, and with her disposition in this company, her contributions to his company and to her career, she was no longer would be just introduced and known as _his assistant._

She thought about it. "You're the genius, you figure it out." She said.

"Your confidence in my abilities never cease to amaze me, Mai. Just how enthralled are you?" He teased.

She just shrugged him off this time. "Whatever. So, how about it? I heard from Lin that there's a pseudo-Oliver Davis there, so I figured that i'll be your cover."

"You're gonna do what?" He asked, slightly confused.

" _The Dove_ is pretty famous. If she appears, the attention on Oliver Davis will reduce and the impostor himself will be on guard, but he won't disturb our investigations."

"You're gonna distract him. And find out why he's going as me." Naru scowled. Mai charming any guy gets on his nerves.

"So?"

"Will you still be making me tea?" He asked. _I'm getting ridiculous._

_Idiot scientist._ A voice in his head retorted.

_Shut up Gene._ He thought back.

Mai just shook her head then smiled at him. "If I don't make you tea, hell will break loose." She just replied.

 

*

 

BRIDGETTE WATSON WAS ANYTHING BUT ANXIOUS. Her father was entertaining Dr. Oliver Davis and his team. _He's cute. But I didn't expect him to be_ _ **him**_ _._ She thought as she heard the door of their dining are opened, revealing a small group led by a raven-haired man all clad in black.

"Mr. Shibuya! I'm glad you could come." His dad said as he went to him and shook his hand.

"I do apologize for our time of arrival. There were a few... _complications_ along the way." The man called Shibuya replied as he offered an apologetic smile. She noticed there was an aura of superiority and knowledge around him. _He's more of the Oliver Davis type. Albeit impossible._ She thought as she went towards him and his team. She smiled as she shook his hand.

"My daughter, Bridgette." Her dad introduced.

_"A pleasure, Miss."_ He said in English as he gave her a polite smile. _I like this one._ She thought as she giggled.

_"The pleasure's mine."_ She replied as she noticed a _very familiar_ black haired classmate of hers who was smirking at her. _Yasuhara Osamu. This is his part-time...?_

"Doctor Oliver Davis." Shibuya greeted, looking at him.

"Kazuya Shibuya, am I right? Hello." He nonchantly replied.

"Mr. Watson, my team. My assistant, Lin Koujo, our priestess, Matsuzaki Ayako, our monk, Takigawa Houshou, our psychic, Masako Hara, our exorcist, John Brown, and our researcher, Yasuhara Osamu." Shibuya introduced as each of them greeted.

"Well, with all of that settled, let me brief you in what is going at my house-"

"Excuse me, sir. You told my team that we will be working with another team of eight members. Why are they just seven?" Oliver asked politely.

"The SPR team will conduct their investigation seperately." A familiar voice rang through the hall as the last person Bridgette Watson could ever think of appearing appeared.

Clad in white, smiling brightly, her brown hair loose into wavy curls. _No way._

"You're late." Shibuya deadpanned as _she_ stood beside him.

"And you're an ass." She snapped back.

Silence bombarded the room, her dad looking at _her_ , along with the rest..

"Forgive me for being late. I had to attend a call. Please excuse my tardiness." She apologized as she bowed.

"The eight member of our team, my partner, Taniyama Mai." Shibuya introduced.

 

_Taniyama Mai is the Dove of SPR?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> same links on tumblr as always;  
> @darkhufflephan  
> OR  
> @sapphire-elliore
> 
> <3


	4. Ungodly Possession, Part Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Travel time from Shibuya to Narita : 1H 48M
> 
> (you're welcome.)
> 
> //lmao, thanks Google <3

 

"You're _the Dove_." Oliver Davis (pseudo) exclaimed as he stood up and walked towards her, staring at her, taking her full image. It irked Naru to no end.

"I am pleased to know that even though i'm not in an all white attire you still managed to recognize me." Mai replied as _the fake_ Oliver Davis took her hand and kissed it.

"The pleasure is mine, Miss Taniyama." Oliver charmingly replied.

Naru glared at him. Oliver just flashed him a cocky smile. _You better be thankful that I like to be unrecognized._ Naru sheepishly thought as he turned his attention to Mai.

And to his surprise, Mai just smiled at him and politely took her hand away. Yasuhara smirked. _As much as the fake one's a charmer, the real one's a fake charmer. And Mai prefers the fake charmer rather than the charmer._ Yasuhara thought as they all watched the scene unfold.

"Like I said, the SPR team shall conduct an independent research, so as not to be a hindrance to your own pace of investigation. Adjusting to each other's pace will place a further delay on the investigation. And _my partner_ here," Mai said as she pointed towards Naru, "likes to finish the investigation as fast as the team could."

"If that is what could benefit all of us, then so be it. I agree to your terms, Miss Taniyama." Psedo-Oliver remarked as he made his way back to his seat.

The diplomat looked at the SPR. "Please, have a seat so that we can continue this briefing." The diplomat said as he motioned for them as they took their seats.

Apparently the seats weren't enough. Both Mai and Naru were standing in front of the last empty seat.

"I'm sorry, I didn't realize that there weren't enough on your side, anyone can seat beside Dr. Davis, if-"

"Mai, sit down." Naru commanded. Mai glared at him before seating down. "It's okay, sir. I'll just stand beside her. She might need some assistance." Naru continued, smiling.

Yasuhara smirked. _I'm sure this case would be fun._ He thought.

"You may proceed on what you were saying before they arrived, sir." Pseudo-Oliver started.

 _Of course he is the priority._ Naru sighed inwardly.

"You might want to take some notes." He ordered Mai.

Mai looked up to him. "You're better at that, _Kazuya._ If you just let me sit here because of that, i'll be very happy to transfer beside _Dr. Davis-san's_ side."

Naru glared at her. No, he can't let her. _Who knows what that man would do to you._ He thought. "Stay." He mumbled as he gave his attention back to the diplomat, who was now about to end his story.

"Please help us. For the sake of everyone, especially my daughter. As much as I don't believe in the supernatural, my family is involved, so I turn to you all for help. My two aides will lead you to your rooms." The diplomat said as he stood up. Oliver Davis stood up too, and walked with him as they went out of the room, along with Oliver's team.

Mai stood up, Naru backing away as he gave her space.

"So, _partner,_ what do we do?" Mai asked.

"We set up the cameras as planned. But let's set up the base first. Lin?" Naru called.

"The equipment are all in the room, Naru. I've made sure of that, and I've checked out the rooms. It's all okay." Mai replied. Lin gave her a thankful nod.

Naru however, raised an eyebrow. "So that's why you're late?" He asked.

To his surprise Mai smirked at him. "No, not really."

He was about to ask her what she means when Mai walked towards Bridgette.

 _She never fails to surprise me._ Naru thought as he watched her talk to the daughter's client. The rest were already waiting for his signal to proceed.

"Naru?" Mai's voice broke his thoughts.

"I need to talk to Miss Watson concerning the incidents. Miss Watson?" He asked her.

"I'll be happy to, Kazuya." She replied as she walked beside him, smiling sweetly.

Mai was giving him a wide smirk. He glared. _Do you think i'm enjoying this?_ He thought.

"Well, Bridgette," Mai's voice filled with mirth. "Lead the way, please."

"Of course. Kazuya, follow me." Bridgette exclaimed as she dragged Naru first, the SPR team in tow.

 

*

 

MAI WAS busying herself as she fixed her things on the girls' sleeping quarters when Yasuhara knocked.

"Mai, it's me. Can I come in?" Yasuhara exclaimed from outside, his excitement barely restrained. _What does he want?_ Mai asked herself as she let him in. Yasuhara flopped himself on the bed in front of Mai's.

"Yasu, that's Ayako's. She's going to be furious." Mai reprimanded. Yasu just groaned and sat up.

"Oh, come on Mai-chan. She'll be too busy to notice." Yasuhara exclaimed as he layed down, earning a protest from Mai.

"Yasu! Wait, what do you mean she won't notice?" Mai asked at she sat on her designated bed.

"Mai, geez. She'll be too busy missing her _delightful night escapades_ with Monk." Yasuhara replied, earning a pillow hitting his face. "That hurts." He only said as he layed the pillow beside him.

"As much as I'm happy for their relationship, I don't think that's why you're here." Mai stated in a matter-of-factly tone. Yasu sat up, pouting at her.

"You think too lowly of me, Mai-chan!" He protested. "What if that's what I want to talk about?"

Mai glared at him. Then shook her head. "No."

Yasuhara sighed. "You know me too well. Fine."

"So, why are you here?" She asked, taking off her white blazer jacket and setting it aside.

Yasuhara smirked. " _Partner?_ "

Mai groaned. "Trust me, I expected something else. I told him to not introduce me as his assistant." She retorted.

"Still, you're quite a charmer, huh? Grand dramatic entrance, the two Olivers having this silent war going on when it comes to you, Bridgette-yes! The look on her face!" Yasu exclaimed.

Mai just sighed. "Look, Yasu. I feel bad for her already. You've read the case file. The attacks are primarily centered on her. She's suffering, trust me. Let's just finish this case. I don't care about what she wants to do."

Yasuhara smiled at his bestfriend. Even though Bridgette made her school days slightly a living hell, here she was, determined to help her for her peace and safety. Her good traits and good-natured self compliment her good looks. She gets the attention of the majority of the male population that she meets. _And yet there's always the only exception._ He thought. _Maybe that's just a cover._ He thought again, smiling to his friend. _I want her to be happy. I can't be the one to do it, so I better just cheer for the two of them._

"Then why did you talk to Bridgette earlier?" Yasu asked.

"Oh, you know," she said as she waved her hands in the air, doing some hand gestures. "I just told her to shut her pretty mouth about me being the Dove and everything." Yasuhara laughed at her statement.

"She'll be more than happy to shut her pretty mouth, alright." Yasuhara replied with a chuckle. He then sat up, smoothing his clothes.

"Are you not staying here?" Mai asked. Yasuhara nodded.

"But Shibuya's almost two hours away! And we don't have any papers to submit! Why are you going to leave?" Mai protested.

"Unlike you who just goes to classes just to complete the required days," he said as he stood up, heading for the door. "I have lots to do." _Or maybe I'm just not ready to see the two of you reconciling._

"Wait! I'll escort you out!" Mai exclaimed as she now walked towards his side.

He was about to open the door when he halted and turned. Mai cocked her head to the side, as if asking; 'what's wrong?'.

"Can you?" He asked.

Mai was confused. "Can I what?" She asked.

"Can you work with him?" Yasu asked back.

Mai smiled. "I'll tell you the same thing I told Ayako earlier. I'm trying to set the past aside. Because it isn't mature to act like a whining girl after all this time-Yasu, I'm 21. I'm an adult. Sure, he managed to hurt my feelings before, but that doesn't mean I can't work with him. My life doesn't revolve around him." She grabbed his hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. She smiled at him. Yasu smiled back. _She's smiling but she's hidng the pain._

He knew-he felt it, that his boss had feelings for his brunette best friend, but he tried to cover it. When Mai told him what happened, rage was the first thing he felt. But when he learned that Naru had a twin brother who was, in a way, kinder than him and always appeared as her spirit guide-he then understood why Naru said what he said. He must have thought that his brother was always better, the one that deserved the reciprocated attention and care, but Mai confessed to him. Not to Eugene. So he thought she misunderstood. But that was still unfair for Mai. But then, that was five years ago. Surely there could be a development.

"So what if he...you know, confessed his _hidden and undying love_ for you?" He asked, partly in mocked jest.

Mai opened the door and stepped outside. Yasuhara followed her and shut the door behind them.

"That won't happen." Mai murmured, barely audible to Yasuhara. He looked at her.

"Let's drop by the base so that you can tell Naru." Mai said as they walked in the carpeted corridors.

"Give this to Naru." Yasuhara said as he handed her a long envelope that he was holding unto earlier. Mai took it with a nod.

"Hey, be careful out there." Mai said as they neared the base room.

"Of course," Yasuhara exclaimed as he smirked at her. "I have to be alive so that I can see your happy ending with Boss!"

Mai just shook her head as she opened the door. "Your goal will be in vain, Yasu. That is not gonna happen." She said as she halted.

Naru was staring at her. His gaze was unavoidable. _What does he want this time?_ Bridgette was sitting opposite him, her back facing Mai.

 

*

 

"Big boss! Hi! I have to leave. Papers to finish. I gave Mai some of the initial information I got. If you have any questions, just give me a call! Bye!" Yasuhara exclaimed, not waiting to see Naru's reaction, and stormed off.

So he just stared at his old assistant. She just gave him a smiled then waved an envelope. _The information._

"Mai, tea." He said as he turned back to the girl he was interviewing.

"Where's the rest?" Mai asked, completely ignoring his plea.

He looked at Lin, but Lin just readjusted his earphones and continued with his work with the equipment.

He sighed. "Hara-san and John are doing their walkthrough along with Matsuzaki-san, Takigawa-san is setting up the cameras." He deadpanned.

"Oh. Here. What Yasu was talking about." Mai said as she handed him the envelope. "I'd like to discuss it with you first before we discuss with everybody. Along with some informatiln I got when I digged for information."

 _She's not going to get me tea?_ "That would be after I finished talking with Bridgette-san." He said as he turned to the girl mentioned. She flashed him a sweet, flirtatious smile. He chose to ingnore it.

"Sure. Hello, Watson-san." Mai greeted.

"Hello, Taniyama-san. Do you mind? Me and Shibuya-san were talking." She said, venom hidden in her calm tone.

"Oh, please. Continue." Mai said as she went to the take the chair beside Lin.

"So, Shibuya-san...you were saying?"

 

*

 

"WHY AM I STUCK WITH YOU AGAIN?" Ayako retorted as she walked towards the end of the stairwell. Masako and John followed behind her.

"Because Shibuya-san said I needed two people with me." Masako deadpanned, lower half of her face covered by her kimono sleeve.

"Now, now. Let's just do what we have to do." John offered with a smile.

Ayako sighed and walked ahead.

John turned to look at Masako. Her hair was now up to her shoulders, her facial features got more enhanced, and she got prettier. Yeah, he admits. _She's more pretty now._

But he then sighed. He knew she was already pining for somebody else. _It's not like I quitted being a priest because I wanted to have a chance with her._

 

*

 

MASAKO GOT MORE SELF-CONSCIOUS AS SHE NOTICED JOHN STARING AT HER. She knew her own worth, but the fact that the ex-priest was staring at her made her a little uncomfortable.

Not that she didn't mind. She didn't mind that the now tall, well-built, and tanned Australian with his blonde hair and perfect blue eyes staring at her. _Maybe he's just observing me. It has been two years since our last encounter._

She knew she should be focused at her job rather than thinking about the man beside her, but she was taken back with his bright smiles and cheerful, calm voice as they talked about the smalleat things.

But of course spirits had to interfere. She was a medium and she had to do her job first. She went back to her feet when she felt cold air around her ankles, and a force pulling her away from her companions.

So she did what she could.

She screamed.

 

*

 

MAI JOLTED UP AND HEADED FOR THE DOOR WHEN SHE HEARD HER FRIEND'S SCREAM.

She was about to dash out of the base when a hand gripped her arm. "What are you doing?"

"Naru, Masako's in trouble." She stated, trying to free herself from his grip. He didn't bulge.

"Lin already sent his shiki." He calmly informed her. _I know where this is going._ Mai thought.

"I have to go." She said, irritated.

"Who knows what could happen if you went there. You're still a trouble magnet as far as i am-"

"MY FRIEND IS IN TROUBLE AND I WANT TO SEE IF SHE IS OKAY! Whatever happens to me is no longer your business!" Mai snapped. Naru still didn't bulge. Mai turned to glare at him. He was still calm.

"No. I am still not sure of your abilities and-"

The windows in the room snapped shut.

Lin looked at the two of them. _"Noll,"_ he said.

"That wasn't me." He replied as he gave her an icy stare. Mai stared back at him with a challenging look.

"I know what I can do. If you're so interested you could have checked out a few years ago, don't you think?"Mai said as she pried his hand away from her arm. Naru just let het do it, but his gaze never left hers.

"Fine. Get yourself into trouble." He deadpanned. Mai's patience faltered.

"Sure, that's how you look at me afterall. A trouble magnet." She said as she went out of the room, the door shutting loudly behind her.


	5. Ungodly Possession, Part Three

 

NARU WAS TEMPTED TO GO OUT AND CHASE AFTER HER. In a way, everything she said was true. Everything she said was like an arrow that hit him. _I just want you to be safe._ He sighed as he made his way back to the chair he was previously sitting on. _If she gets lost or anything that is her problem._ He thought, remembering how she could easily get herself into trouble. It just made him even more worried. _Who am I kidding? It would be my biggest problem._

"Lin," he called. Lin glanced at him. "Escort Miss Watson back to her quarters."

"Is it okay? I mean we're not done,right?" Bridgette asked.

_It was done the moment you tried to coax me into accompanying you during the night._ "I think I got the information I needed. Thank you for your time, Miss Watson." He replied, offering her a polite smile. "Lin will escort you back."

Lin was already by the door. Bridgette stood up, took one last glance and went out. Lin shut the door behind them, leaving Naru contemplate the silence of the room.

 

*

 

THE MOMENT HE HEARD HER SCREAM, John grasped her quickly. She was thankful for his reflexes, but she could still feel cold hands pulling her away.

"John!" She exclaimed in fear as she gripped his hands. John gripped her tightly.

" _Masako, don't let go._ " He only replied as he glanced at Ayako for help. Ayako was already chanting, her eyes closed in concentration.

Masako can hear Ayako's chants and the spirits' scream of protest. She was already dangling in the air, for Pete's sake. She wants to help them, but can they just please put her down? Not that she was complaining of how John was holding her hand and never leaving her gaze. _I am being pulled by ghosts and all I can think about is him. Get a grip!_ She chided herself.

"They want help." She said.

"They better put you down first." John replied.

"It's not working! Wait I'll try-ahhhhh!" Ayako exclaimed as she got pulled away by an unknown force, slamming her to the far end of the hall.

"Matsuzaki-san!" Both John and Masako exclaimed.

John looked at the girl he was holding on to. "No. You do not let go." He firmly said.

"You might be next! I'm sure you can find me-"the force pulling her was gone, the spirits that she felt earlier suddenly disappeared. She fell, at least John catched her.

"Are you guys okay?" A familiar voice exclaimed. _Mai._

"Yeah." Masako replied as she slipped away from John's hands. "Thank you." She said.

"Yeah. Are you okay?" John asked as both of them stood up and faced the girl who was now running towards them. Masako nodded.

"Are you okay? Ayako's with you where is-Ayako are you okay?" Mai exclaimed as she flashed them an apologetic smile.

"Y-yeah. I think so." Ayako replied as Mai saw her trying to stand up. She then saw Monk helping her.

"We're fine. But how-" John was about to ask what happened with the spirits when he was interrupted by Masako's rebuke.

"Mai, are you crazy?"

"No." Mai firmly answered, as if knowing why Masako was asking her questions.

"So what will we tell Shibuya-san when we go back? 'Oh, you know, Mai used her PK to ward off the ghosts for a while so if she suddenly faints from exhaustion you now know why'?" Masako asked.

"I'm sure he wouldn't bother to ask." Mai replied, albeit bitterly.

"Oh, really? With his current-"

"Now, calm down Masako. I'm sure that wasn't the case. Right, Mai?" John said as he glanced at Mai. Mai just grimaced. _Just how powerful is she now?_ John asked himself.

"Jou-chan! John-san! Hara-san!" Monk exclaimed when he and Ayako got to the trio.

"We should go back." Masako said as she walked forward. The rest following behind her.

 

*

 

The door to the base swung open. Naru turned to glance at the door to see Masako with the rest.

"Tell me what happened." He commanded. Masako frowned at him.

"We got attacked. Then they stopped. Many, many spirits. I almost got dragged away. Matsuzaki-san was slammed to the far end of the hall. Monk and Mai arrived, we all decided to come back and try to calm down." Masako furiously retorted as she then slumped to the nearest couch. John took a seat beside her. Matsuzaki and Takigawa went inside. He doesn't know why Masako would answer him like that, and as he was about to ask, he noticed that someone wasn't with them.

"Where's Mai?" He asked. The rest of the group was shocked with the question as they all looked at the opened door.

"We thought she was with us." Monk replied.

"You _thought_ she was with-" Naru stopped when he saw Lin enter the base.

"The shiki went back to me." Was Lin's first statement, indifferent to the looks the others gave him. He noticed how agitated Naru looked.

"And Mai is not here." Naru deadpanned. _So that's why he's agitated._ Lin thought as he remembered the two's argument earlier.

"What did your shiki tell you?" Naru asked, now completely ignoring the others.

Lin was silent. "Lin," Naru warned in a foreboding tone. Somehow Lin got the message. _Tell me what your shiki told you or so help me God I will ask your shiki myself. And that turns out not the way we both like._ Lin thought as he sighed.

"It can't go through Mai's PK barrier." Was the only thing Lin said. Apparently it was the only thing Naru needed. He rushed out of the room, the door shutting behind him. He sighed.

_People with PK._ Lin thought as he gave the rest in the room an apologetic smile. _You are still not safe from Noll's wrath later._

 

_*_

 

_So she can create a PK barrier._

_She can channel out her PK but she keeps it in control._

_She can walk on the astral plane._

_She's also a medium._

_What else are you not telling me?_ Naru screamed in his head as he walked towards the corridor where the rest were trapped earlier.

No one was in the corridor. Except him, of course. _Where is she?_

_That her barrier is still up and she may or may not faint from draining her energy?_ A voice popped in his head. That did not help him ease his growing worry. He knows Mai is capable, but he also knows she has a knack of throwing herself into trouble.

_Tell me where she is, Eugene._ Naru thought as he heard a creak coming from the wall panel where a painting of the diplomat's wife was hanging. Naru backed away a few spaces, for the sake of precaution.

The wall swung open, revealing a certain brown eyed brunette he was worrying about.

"Hey, Naru." She cooly said as she stepped into the corridor and swung the wall back to its righteous place. She then turned to look at him. He's good at keeping his mask on but she knows he's both shocked and relived at the same time. She looks like she knows he's been standing out here, is what he noticed.

"Go back to base. We need to talk." He only said as he walked away from her. After a few steps he stopped in his tracks and turned back. Mai was still where she stood up, staring at him. He stared back.

"What makes you think you can just toss me away and expect i'll be not furious with you?" She asked, anger brimming in her features. For a moment Naru thought she chose this time to dwell on what happened five years ago. Then he remembered what he said to her earlier.

_What makes you think I'm like that?_

"Would you like to discuss _this_ in a middle of a hallway? I thought you're no longer stupid." He replied, biting his lip slightly. He was furious and a little bit hurt of what she said but he can't help snap back at her.

Mai just walked past him, completely ignoring him. "If you're not stupid, you should know I'm going back. Because you're right." She only said when she passed by his figure. He followed back, thinking that there was a hint of sarcasm when she said he was right.

 

*

 

Mai entered the base to find no one expecting her-or their arrival, as Naru went past her, only to pick up a note left on the table.

"Sit down." He ordered. _Oh, no tea?_ Mai thought as she sat down, carefully calming herself down as Naru disappeared to the adjourning office.

Mai took off her blazer jacket (which was now kinda dusty) and placed it on the couch's edge. She then cozily snuggled on the couch, feeling the exhaustion from setting up the barrier earlier, to help Masako and the rest.

Naru went out of the room, his footsteps making her sit up and stare at him. He donned his black blazer, his sleeves were rolled up, and the first two of his shirt buttons unbuttoned, showing up some of his skin. Mai gulped. He sat down on the opposite chair he dragged from Lin's station. _His charm is still impeccable._ Mai thought as she smoothened the creases on _his shirt_ that she borrowed.

"You're not gonna ask for tea?" She innocently asked.

"Seeing as you ignored my previous plea earlier, no." He deadpanned. "Why do you ask?" He asked a little bit too casually.

_If you're furious it's unbearable. If you're furious then and without tea, it's a living hell. Not that I'm saying that out loud._ "To engage in a casual conversation starter." She said with mock jest, probably reffering to his knowledge.

"If trying to mock my intellect is a casual conversation starter, then I'd accept that as a valid reason." He replied as he then opened the contents of the envelope, revealing two file folders. He handed one to Mai.

"You've read this?" He asked her.

"No. Have you?" She asked back, skimming over the contents of the file. It was highly organized, family history, the house's architectural background, every artcile related to those were neatly compiled and arranged by date, ranging from the oldest to the newest. _That's Yasuhara for you._ She thought as she noticed a note stuck on the last article, written by Yasuhara on a post-it;

 

_This is as far as I could go. Apparently there are some unconcluded information regarding the family tree-but there was a mention of the diplomat's wife having a lover before being bethroted. The guy disappeared though. Call me for anything!_

_Yasu_

 

"The note." Naru said, snapping her out of her thoughts as she skimmed through the files.

"The so-called lover disappeared after he was last seen entering this house." Naru raised an eyebrow at her statement, earning him a curious glance from Mai.

"I was referring to the architecture of the house as Yasuhara wrote, but it looks like he gave us different notes." He replied.

_Why did he give us different notes?_ "So is this like the case with the prime minister? The one with the-"

"Mai, I remember." Naru interjected. _Being away for a long time does not mean I forget everything._ "In terms of hidden pasageways, yes. But I think we're not dealing with a hungry humonculus, and the house architecture is not as complicated as the prime minister's."

_Of course you remember, you dealt with an impostor of your real identity there._ "So you're surprised with what I found-"

"I am surprised to see you standing up and not lying unconcious on the ground." Naru retorted, flashing her a smirk.

_Jerk!_ "Well you would be surprised by a lot of other things concerning me, _Naru-sama._ " She replied, the nickname heavily emphasized, hoping to irritate him. But he was more irritated to the man standing in the doorway.

" _Davis-san,"_ he called his name in a too calm tone, "what brings you here?"

"Well, I was doing my rounds in this area when I heard that your team was attacked. How are they?" Pseudo-Oliver asked. "May I come in?"

"If you must." Naru said as he motioned for Mai to move away.

_Really protective, huh?_ Mai thought as she nodded and proceeded to check the cameras, placing the earphones on.

Pseudo-Oliver sat down to where Mai previously sat down.

"My team is now fine. It's completely natural to be in the ghost's vicinity." Naru deadpanned.

"I think you've also encountered the passageways."

"My partner did-she has quite the knack of exploring and getting herself involved with trouble. It was a cupboard, I think. At the far end of the west hall, where the paintings are." Naru replied.

"Well the blueprints Mr. Watson gave to me didn't include them, so we were surprised when we found one at the east hall."

Naru nodded in acknowledgement. Silence met them for a while as Pseudo-Oliver stood up. "Well, I don't want to impose on you any further. Thank you for your time, Mr. Shibuya." He said as he went for the door, casting a long glance at Mai, then leaving.

Once Mai heard his faint footsteps, she took the earphones off, went to the door and shut it.

"You lied to him! What if he discovers that there is _no_ hidden cupboard!" She exclaimed.

Naru smiled. "There is, therefore I did not lie about its existence." He replied as he pulled out a blueprint from its case which was under the table.

Mai went beside him and took a glance. "How did you-"

"The architect who built this home is a family friend. I pulled some strings." He interrupted her. Again.

"Why do you keep on interrupting me?" She asked him. Naru just smirked at her.

_Still an ass!_ Mai thought as she noticed something on the monitors. She went over there and looked at it.

"Naru," she called. Naru looked at her.

"What's wrong?" He asked as he went to her, and looked to where she was looking.

"The temperatures on Bridgette's room dropped." Mai said, worry on her face. She didn't even mind how Naru was looking _too closely_ on the screen.

Good thing Naru quickly backed away, as he noticed Mai was about to stand up.

She was already heading for the door.

"Call the others, Naru." She said.

"What are you doing?" He replied.

"Going there first."

"Attracting trouble?" He teased.

"That's what I do best." She smiled bitterly.

"I'll call them. Go ahead." He said as he followed her out. Mai nodded as she rushed to Bridgette's room.

"Mai." He called. Mai stopped and turned to him.

"There are a lot of things you do best."

Mai smiled at him, her usual sweet smile that took Naru's breath away. Not that he ever shows it. "You sure you're not Gene?" She replied, teasing him.

"Thanks Naru." She said when he didn't reply, and ran away. He looked at her retreating figure.

_Like breaking my heart._ He sighed, although he knew she was just teasing him because what he said to her was out of character-but he still felt a slight pain.

_And I should not be thinking of that._ He said as he walked to the quarters, to call the others.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> same links on tumblr as always;  
> @darkhufflephan  
> OR  
> @sapphire-elliore
> 
> <3


	6. Ungodly Possession, Part Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Who was Naru to say no?

 

HER ROOM WAS LIKE ALWAYS. Beautiful, elegant, clean, comfortable, co-

 _Cold? Did the maids set the aircon at max?_ She thought as she wriggled out of the comfortable fortress that was her bed and reached out to get the remote control from her bedside drawer.

Then she saw that the aircon wasn't even turned on. _No, no, no._

She placed the remote control back calming herself down from the thoughts that keep bumping in her head. _This is not what you think it is, Bridgette. This is just the climate. No, no, no. Shut it._

Her thoughts were completely placed to a halt when she saw her mom standing at the far corner of the room.

"Mom?" Her voice was quavering. She felt fear in her system.

Her mom just stared at her.

"H-how long have you been-" she then let out a shrill shriek as she saw her mom pull out a knife. Her mom was now slowly walking towards her.

She tried to run towards the door, but she can't move. She felt paralyzed.

_Why can't I move?_

_'He said not to let you move. We follow what he says. You will die.'_

Her mom was now getting closer to her bedpost. Her knife aimed.

"MOM!" she screamed.

_'You need to die.'_

_'He must feel the pain.'_

_'Die. Die. Die!'_

She felt cold hands holding her firmly. She was paralyzed. She was crying. She was in pain. She was gonna die at the hands of her own mother.

"Rin! Pyo! To! Sha! Kai! Jin!" Her mother turned away and looked at the direction of where the sound came from. _Taniyama-san!_

" _Do not interfere!"_ Her mother screamed, in a voice that was unlike hers as she lunged herself towards Mai.

"Taniyama-san!" She shrieked, trying to wriggle out of whatever was trying to hold her in place. She only looked ay the brunette who looked very calm.

"Retsu! Zai! Zen!" Mai exclaimed, as she now saw her mom being pushed away by a force. Mai rushed towards her.

"Are you okay?" Mai asked as she looked at her. Bridgette felt the cold hands disappear.

"H-how...?" Was what she asked instead. Mai just gave her a smile.

"That was just the Nine Cuts. Your mom's possessed, so she needs to be exorcised. Don't worry, the others will be here soon."

She then heard a loud thump.

 _"WHY ARE YOU INTEREFERING!?"_ Her mom exclaimed as she tried to go near the two of them. But somehow there was an invisible barrier blocking her.

"Taniyama-san..." she trailed off as she saw Mai suddenly sat on her bed.

"I'm okay. Don't mind the spirit." She replied, exhaustion showing.

"That's my-"

"Your mom is possessed. As much as I want to help her, I can't. My energy is spent with keeping up the barrier. I'm sorry." Mai interjected.

That's when she decided to shut up.

" _MAI!"_

_"JOU-CHAN! Dammit, the door's locked!"_

Mai was now staring at Bridgette's mom who was now growling as she tried to break through.

"I-I...Bridgette..." she called as she was about to pass out when Bridgette rushed to her. "Mai!" She exclaimed. "Don't! They're here! You can pull this-"

"Yeah. Trying." Mai chuckled softly as she sat up. Bridgette placed a hand on her back as she sat closer to her, not minding the spirit who was now controlling her mom to try and break through the invisible barrier Mai built.

"You okay?" Bridgette asked, now concern with Mai's state.

Mai just smiled at her. "I'm holding on."

"Thanks." Bridgette replied, flashing her a sincere and heartfelt gratitude.

 _"Naru-bou? What the hell are you-"_ they heard Monk exclaim as the door opened, revealing Naru (who was upon seeing them flashed a glare at Bou-san).

Monk and John were about to chant when Bridgette's mother growled.

"SHE WILL DIE. SHE WILL DIE. YOU CANNOT STOP ME." Then Bridgette's mother fell unconcious, Monk catching her.

"Naru?" Mai spoke. The rest of the SPR team went in and looked at her. Naru stepped forward.

"It's okay." He spoke in a soft tone. Mai smiled. Shibuya walked to where they were sitting. Bridgette looking at him, trying to catch his attention. But he was looking at the woman who protected her. His eyes flashed worry and concern. _I was attacked by a ghost and here I am trying to catch his attention._

"Hara-san?" He asked, his gaze never leaving Mai's.

"The spirits are gone."

Mai broke his gaze and turned to Bridgette, who was now just looking at her.

"Are you okay?" Mai asked.

Bridgette raised her eyebrow. "Shouldn't you be asking yourself that? I'm fine. Thanks." She replied, smiling at her-the hostility she felt for the brunette gone. There was respect.

"I'm fine...just...sleep..." Mai trailed off as she closed her eyes and slumped on her bed, unconcious.

"Mai?!" Bridgette exclaimed, trying to shake her.

"Don't. She needs it." Shibuya stopped her. She looked at him. He was studying the brunette, she knew. But then she noticed a faint glimmer in his eyes. Fondness. She sighed inwardly. _Guess that's the end of my pining for him._ She thought.

"Will she be okay?" She asked Shibuya. The guy glanced at her.

"Yes." He only replied as he turned back to his team.

"Matsuzaki-san, how is Mrs. Watson?" He asked. The woman called Matsuzaki was now checking her mother, whose unconcious form was being supported by the man they called Monk.

"She needs to rest. I'll have to examine her for any bruises from the possession." Matsuzaki replied. Shibuya seemed to be thinking when he turned to her.

"Can you take Matsuzaki-san and Takigawa-san along with you to your mother's room?" He asked her.

"Yeah. No problem. But how about-" she was about to ask will Mai sleep in her room when Shibuya scooped the brunette's unconcious body albeit effortlessly, carrying her in his arms.

"Takigawa-san, Matsuzaki-san, take Miss Watson and her mother to the room where she'll lead you. Matsuzaki-san, check up on Miss Watson too. Hara-san, John; go to Mr. Watson and tell him what happened." He only said and afterwards left the room, with his Chinese assistant in tow and the brunette in his arms.

"John." Hara-san said as she led the young blonde man out with her. The red-haired woman, Matsuzaki-san went to her as Takigawa carried her mom.

"Are you okay?" Matsuzaki-san kindly asked.

"Yes. Uh, i'll lead you to mom's room." She said as she stood up and lead them out of her room.

 

*

 

THE WALLS WHERE ALL WHITE.

Mai knew where she was, and has been expecting to be in this place. Although she was surprised upon seeing a _very familiar_ man all clad in black smiling at her.

"Eugene Davis!" She exclaimed as she rushed to him, takling him in a friendly hug. Eugene ruffled her hair in the process.

"Gene!" She retorted as she broke first from their hug and fixed her hair. "It's been long! What happened to you?" She asked.

"Well..." Gene replied, flashing her an apologetic smile as he run his hand through his hair. "I've been very busy. And besides, I know you're good already!"

Mai just smiled at him. _Probably catching with his narcisstic ass of a twin._ She thought.

"So...are you going to show me something?" She asked. Gene nodded, and long gone were the white walls, and replaced by a familiar corridor filled with paintings. She knew exactly where she was, Gene was silently watching the scene before them.

_"Alright just a few more steps, darling." The young man said as he led the blindfolded woman in front of her in front of a paining. "Okay. Breathe. One, two, three, voila!" He exclaimed as he took her blindfold off. The woman shrieked in both happiness and surprise. It was a painting of her, as seen in the familiar facial features. She gave him a loving gaze, and he smiled as he took her in his arms and kissed her._

_"It's beautiful, Robert." She sighed after they kissed. He smiled._

_"The real one's more beautiful. Right here." He said as he kissed her again, his hands grazing on an emerald ring on her ring finger._

Mai was happily looking at the two when she saw a man at the corner of her eye. He looked exactly like the man with his girlfriend. _Twins?_

 

_*_

 

HE GAZED AT HER, THOUGHTS RUNNING THROUGH HIS MIND. She was very beautiful, and yet as much as he is mesmerized by her personality and presence, he was more taken by her abilities.

He knew that if she ever managed to know the truth, which she can, without barely scratching the surface, he has to stop her.

He doesn't want to, but he has to.

And that is _now_.

Taking one last look at her, he clutched the syringe hidden in his pocket, a colorless liquid filling its cylindrical tube. He took a deep breath. _She can't know. Nobody must know._ He thought to himself.

"If you plan to keep staring at her, you might wake her up." A voice said behind him. He almost jumped in surprise. He turned to find the man, Shibuya Kazuya, in all his black-clad glory standing at the left side of the now shut door. _Locked?_

"Now, Shibuya-san I never thought you would be the type of person to creep up on others." He said as he turned to him.

"I assumed it was more of your type, _Davis-san._ " He deadpanned, his glare intensifying.

"Ah, no." He cooly replied.

"Really? So entering my partner's room without her consent and standing beside her bed _just staring_ at her sleeping is not a creepy thing to do?" He answered him sarcastically. Oliver inwardly cursed himself.

"I heard from Mr. Watson what happened so I dropped by. I checked on her." He reasoned out. _Why am I reasoning with him?_

Shibuya stared at him. "Is that _really why_ you're here?" He asked him.

"Why? Is it bad to be concerned about a wonderful woman who's getting into trouble?" He replied quickly, eyeing the man in front of him.

Shibuya just stared at him.

"Well, I want her safe. And I don't see the need to explain myself to you." He said as he started to walk past him and to the door. "I am about to solve this case."

What Shibuya said next made him stop. "About to solve or cover this case up? You really need to be clear with what you're trying to say, Davis-san. Probably clear as the syringe you're hiding on your pocket."

He stopped and turned to him. Shibuya wasn't facing him. _I could just thrust this syringe i'm hiding into your back._ He thought. "I don't know what you're talking about, _Shibuya._ In fact I don't know a lot of things. Like who you _really are._ "

Shibuya turned to him, smirking. "The feeling's mutual. I wonder what should I call you, by your real name perhaps?" He said mockingly.

"You can call me by Oliver Davis. Say to your partner I said hi." He cooly replied, getting out of the room, walking away as fast as he can. _I have to tell dad. He knows._ Was the only thought on his mind as he walked as fast as his legs could bring him.

 

*

 

MAI WATCHED THE NEW SCENE IN FRONT OF HER. She held on to Gene's shoulder, in despair of what she was now seeing.

_A boy was tied to the chair. His brown hair is caked with blood, his gray eyes brimming with fear as he gazed up on the man before him. His same gray eyes stared angrily at the boy. Mai felt the boy's fear as he gazed at the object in his hand. A whip._

_"No, please!" The boy pleaded, his eyes brimming with tears. The man, instead of pitying with him got more angry. He whipped the boy, the boy shrieking and crying in pain._

_"Please? Please? Did your father hear me when I asked him that?" He whipped the boy. The boy cries more. "Did he? NO!" He whipped the boy again. "He never heard me plead when he took your mother away from me!" He continued whipping the boy, the boy's cries echoing in Mai's ears as the scene changed._

"Mai?" Gene asked as he looked at her.

"I'm okay. Is there more?" She asked him. He nodded. "Let's continue."

_A man and a woman were now talking in what presumably be their bedroom. She eyed him worryingly as she sat beside him, wrapping her arms around him. He leans his head on her shoulder._

_"We'll find him, I'm sure." She said._

_"I will, Emily. I know where he is now."_

_She looked at him, surprised. "Robert, you can't endanger yourself!" She exclaimed. He placed a finger on her lips._

_"I know, Emily. I'll take care. We can't let Bridgette be now, right?" He said as he placed a hand on his wife's bulging belly. She smiled at him. She has complete faith in him._

_The scene shifted as the man- Robert, found his son- the boy who was tied on a chair._

_"Dad?" The boy's voice merely a whisper. "How?"_

_"I'm here-shhhhh, don't cry, daddy's here. You'll be safe, Sebastian." He assured his son as he untied him._

_"Really? Safe?" A mocking voice asked behind him. His son quickly rushed to him, hiding his heaf on his chest. He turned to see the same set of gray eyes he has._

_And he never felt so betrayed. And angry._

The white walls were back, and Mai was glad to be back. Gene was smiling at her, albeit worried.

 _"_ Twins, huh? Must be really hard when the fell in love with the same person." Mai teased as Gene shook his head.

"Find Sebastian, Mai. Find the boy. Before it's too late." Gene said as he faded, along with everything.

 

*

 

THE MOMENT HER EYES FLUTTERED OPEN, she sees Naru sitting at her side.

"Naru." She greeted as she sat up, wiping her eyes. Naru just looked at her from the chair he pulled.

"How long was I out?" She asked.

"About three hours." When he said those words, Mai slumped back on the bed.

Naru glared at her. "What the hell are you doing?" He asked.

Mai looked at him lazily. "Resting." She only said.

"Three hours isn't enough for you?" He asked.

"Noooooo..."Mai said as she snuggled with her pillow, not caring if her boss was sitting beside her bed.

"Stand up, it's time for dinner. The rest are waiting for you back at base." He stated as he stood up and calmly walked towards the door.

Mai suddenly jumped out of her bed and grabbed Naru's arm. He turned back and looked at her.

"Can you stay?" She asked, pleading.

He inwardly groaned. _If I stay here who knows how this night will end._

"Why?"

"My dream." She answered, still not letting go of his arm.

"Tell it to me-and the rest during dinner." He replied back, completely ignoring the teasing and mocking voice in his head.

"I want to tell you first." She said as she let go. He stared at her. Different emotions were flickering in her eyes. Fear. Anger. Wonder. She looked at him. It was a mix of fear and pleading.

But then again, this was Mai.

 

"Stay."

 

 

Who was he to say no?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wooh. 
> 
> same links on tumblr as always;  
> @darkhufflephan  
> OR  
> @sapphire-elliore
> 
> <3


	7. Ungodly Possession, Part Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wall shifts. 
> 
> And structures.
> 
> Also them trying to lie to each other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> past!Sapphire further proves to now copy-pasting!Sapphire how much of a rekt & cliche writer she is.

 

HE WAS THE MAN WHO GAVE HER A NEW AND FRESH LOOK AT HER BARREN LIFE. He was this annoying, narcissistic, and handsome ass of a boss who took her in and showed her a whole new world. And a new family. But she wasn't Jasmine, and he wasn't Aladdin; he may have swept her off her feet, but he was also the same man who left her cold and lonely all those years ago by a three-word question.

And she told herself that if he ever came back, she wouldn't be his Jasmine-she would not let him sweep her off her feet. She _would sweep him_ off his feet. She would show him what he missed.

But now, with her previous plea, she's doubting her goal. His eyes were now boring into her- his cold, calculating stare that once made her feel very embarrassed now irked her to no end. _Can you look at me without computing whether or not you staying here will benefit you?_

She asked him to stay. The rational part of her mind was already arguing with her. The moment Naru excused himself she latched unto him, like a child that is scared to be alone. A damsel in distress.

_Why am I so scared?_

Then she remembered how Naru was rushed to her side, looking agitated.

Then she also remembered what Gene showed her before he mysteriously left with a plea that they should find the boy.

"Stay." She firmly said, her fingers now on his wrist, clutching it tightly. He was still staring.

_He can say no._

He gingerly lifted the fingers on his wrist and held it ass he led Mai back to her bed, making her stop and stare at him who has now sat, his eyes still on her.

"What are you doing?" Mai asked, then eyeing his hand clutching hers. She was now more surprised at his gentlemanly actions. Because he _wasn't pretending._ She knew.

"You asked me to stay." He said softly as he took his hand away. And yet he would always take it back.

Mai sat down. _And I never expected you to stay._

"Tell me about your dream." He said in a slightly less commanding tone.

And she told him. She told him about the previous owner of the house, how the diplomat was his younger twin, and Emily Watson being the previous wife of the older twin, and how their first son was kidnapped and witnessed his own father shot. As she was about to add something more to the events she dreamed, she noticed that Naru wasn't doing anything. No notebook. No writing. He was just staring.

"You could have spared more energy by telling it to all of us." He remarked. Oh, it irritated her how he easily dismisses everything. But she knew this isn't the time.

He really needs to know.

"You wouldn't even care to know who is responsible for this? Everything? To why Pseudo-Noll get to be Edward Cullen and stare at me while I sleep, syringe in his pocket?" She fumed. Naru was being an ass again.

_Will he ever look at me as a partner, like he said?_

But Naru never ceases to surprise her. He breathed deeply, his eyes now showing...anger.

"Mai," he angrily groaned. "That was no one in your room besides me."

_Why the hell are you lying to me?_ "So my vision from the astral plane was inaccurate? You're telling me that my visions are incorrect? Why?" _Why are you lying?_ She screamed in her mind, omitting the question.

"No."

"I need to find Sebastian, Naru. If I need to find the room-which is probably in this house, I will. I need to talk to the child. He has to pass on." She firmly stated, hushing Naru off to his protests.

"You think the child is the one possessing Mrs. Watson?" He inquired, shooting her a discerning look.

"Yeah." _Not really._

"So your instincts now know how to lie to you, Mai?" He sarcastically asked.

_It was worth the try._ Mai thought. _Of course he has information._

"Don't lie to me, Mai." He remarked.

Mai snapped. "So you can lie to me and I can't lie to you?! You can say that you never threatened the impostor, while here I am, _your partner_ , and I can't say that 'oh, Naru our client is responsible for the start of these events and you know what, I think we both know who pseudo-Noll is'?" She retorted, anger flowing through her system.

Naru stared at her for a while, probably pondering on what just happened. Mai was just angrily staring at him as he did. Infuriated, she stood up, and walked to the door. She almost reached for the doorknob when two words hung in the air.

"I'm sorry." He apologized. Mai turned back to him, shocked.

"You don't have to say that if you don't want to." Mai replied.

Naru looked up at her, surprised. "And why would I not want to apologize?" He asked back.

_You didn't apologize for dismissing my feelings away then doing_ _ **that**_ _before you left._ "You're not sincere." Mai pointed out. In a way, she felt the sincerity, but she can't tell because of the walls he built to guard his true emotions.

"I tried to deny it. Yes, because I didn't want you to worry about my impostor trying to kill you. I'm sorry if I pissed you off..." he trailed off, his eyes now looking away from her.

_Oh, you did not just piss me off._ "Then I'm sorry too."

"For earlier?" He asked. Mai nodded.

"I deserved that." He only said as he stood up and walked towards her.

"Why did you try to omit the information?" Naru asked, referring to her statement earlier.

"I thought if you didn't know that I knew then you could bug me less. And I can solve that problem without involving everybody-especially you in my troubles." She replied as she then shrugged. "I guess you'll all be there to guard me after what happened when I was sleeping."

"Why would they need to know that?" Naru replied. "Are you going to change clothes? I'm going to wait for you outside."

"And why would I need your company?" Mai asked back, raising an eyebrow.

"You asked me to stay." Naru only replied. "Do you still need me?" He asked.

_Do I need you?_ "Probably. Wait outside."

"Okay." He only said as he went outside. Mai gently closed the door behind him. She can hear Naru taking a deep breath, feeling relieved. She never wondered why.

 

*

 

Mr. Watson was in his study when he came in.

He looked tense and frightened. _What happened?_

"What is it?" He asked. The man in front of him sighed and sat down.

"He probably knows." The young man replied.

"He knows." The diplomat calmly said as he stood up from his chair, pured the young man a glass of scotch and handed it to him. The young man took it in one gulp.

"You look so undisturbed by it."

The diplomat chuckled. "Of course I am. He is a sharp man, so I am told. The Society wouldn't recommend him afterall. Have you done what I have-" he took one glance at the man in front of him. "Of course not, he was there wasn't he?"

"Yes. He knew what I was about to do, but he let me go." The man replied.

"And I haven't received any complaints about you from him."

"What will you do now?" The man asked him.

"Let's see where their investigation will lead them. I'll give you the command if it's time to take them down." The diplomat said as he sat down. "Continue finding out who he is. The dove, however..."

"What of the dove?"

"Use her if you won't be able to find out his real identity."

The man looked very confused. "Why her?"

The diplomat looked at him as if he said something very ridiculous. "My boy, I'm telling you-he looks sharp and strong but he can go down in one blow- _a blow to his heart._ "

 

*

 

A few complaints, shouts, barks, and an angry Naru later- Mai found herself sitting with Naru himself, taking the first shift.

Naru was sitting and reading through his black notebook as Mai stared at him. Lin was the one doing the real monitoring here.

"It wouldn't hurt to buy a different color." She stated. Naru looked at her in question.

"I mean- aren't you bored with the color-oh, nevermind." Mai said as she shrugged the idea off. Seeing him owning something not black would certainly shock her. And she doesn't like to be shocked.

Naru placed the notebook down. Mai took a glance of it. The edges looked old.

"What are you planning to do?" Naru asked her. It took her a few second to realize what he was asking.

"I'll try to look for the basement. The cupboard looked like it had a hidden passageway to me." Mai replied, expecting Naru to stop her.

"Have someone with you." He only remarked.

"And what about you? What will you do? You can't exactly waltz in his base and say; _'hey, I know you're not Oliver Davis-you know why? Because I am.'_." Mai asked, trying to imitate his voice.

"I am not doing that. I am talking to Yasuhara tomorrow concerning Robert Watson's death." Naru replied as he now saw Mai sitting beside him. "What are you doing?"

"Sitting beside you? Is there any problem with that?" _You have problems with a me sitting beside you, Naru?_

"Nothing." Naru sternly replied.

Mai noticed how tense he looked. Others might not see it, but she can notice how his straightened posture seemed unnatural.

"You still think the boy is dead?" Naru suddenly asked after a moment of silence.

"No. And I lied. He's alive. I only sensed Robert's spirit." Mai replied.

"Do you know where the boy is?"

"You do. You know who he is, don't you?" Mai replied sarcastically.

Naru was about to retort when Mai suddenly yawned. She closed her eyes and covered her mouth with her hand. He felt compelled to stare at her.

"We both do." He suddenly replied, earning a curious glance from Mai.

"Sure." Mai mumbled as she leaned her head on the couch.

"You're on shift, idiot." Naru coldly stated. Mai just gave him a sleepy glance.

"Just wake me up if something happens." She replied as she closed her eyes. For a moment she thought Naru would protest and wake her up like before, but he just stayed silent.

So she slept.

 

*

 

Naru stared at her. She looked peaceful, as she tried to sleep. No, she was now asleep. _Just how drained is she?_ He asked himself. He then decided to reprimand her about conserving her energy tomorrow.

"You could have asked her to go back to her room." Lin exclaimed.

"She is still on shift." Naru replied, grabbing his notebook and started to read.

"Is that your excuse so that you can carry her back to her room like earlier?" Lin asked back. Naru glared at him then turned back to what he was reading.

"They will be after her, Noll."

Naru stopped reading and stared at the girl sleeping beside him.

"I'll solve this case before that happens, Lin."

"They won't be able to find out who you are, Noll. And they know your weakness."

The fact that Lin used _weakness_ instead of _weaknesses_ made Naru aware _who_ he was referring to.

"They do not. They do not know me well to know that." Naru deadpanned.

"Nobody has to know you _well_ just to see how you are taken with _her._ "

"I'll solve this case before anyone lays a hand on her, Lin." Naru firmly replied as he stood up, laid Mai's body on the couch and covered her with his jacket. _I'll protect her even if it's the last thing I do._

 

*

 

MAI WOKE UP TO THE SOUND OF PEOPLE ARGUING ON THE ROOM OPPOSITE HER. It wasn't that loud, but it was distinct.

"What time is it?" She mumbled as she sat up, noticing the black jacket on her.

"It's five in the morning, sleeping beauty." A familiar voice opposite her answered. She bolted and looked at her eyes, seeing the familiar mischievous smirk, and those damn spectacles.

"Yasuhara!" She exclaimed happily as she turned to him, fixing herself. "When did you arrive?" She asked.

"Just a few minutes ago actually. I called Naru last night so the guards were notified of my arrival. Stressful, still." Yasuhara replied as he flashed her a smile.

"Good job with the files. I'm surprised you gave us two different notes. Lover, huh?" Mai teased. Yasuhara's smile faltered, much to Mai's curiosity.

"About that," Yasuhara was halted when the door opened from where she heard some arguing earlier. Naru went out looking agitated. He stopped and his tracks when he saw Mai and Yasuhara.

Yasuhara gulped. Mai raised an eyebrow.

"Mai, come with me." He said as he headed out the door. Mai looked surprised but stood up and caught up with him, leaving Yasuhara with a very annoyed Lin.

 

*

 

YASUHARA WAS SURPRISED WHEN LIN ASKED IF HE WAS ALRIGHT.

"I need to tell big boss something." Was what he only said. Lin sighed.

"You can tell me." Lin replied.

"What the hell was that anyway?" Yasu asked, referring to the scene earlier.

Lin sighed again. "He was forced to make the investigation faster. He needs Mai with him." Lin replied.

Yasuhara fidgeted. "A-are they going to a hidden cupboard somewhere in the east hall?" He asked.

Lin looked at him, surprised. Then he noticed how nervous and tense the bespectacled man looked. "What's wrong? Tell me." Lin tried to coax him.

"He's ordering a few people outside when I was there. They were complaining on where they were going and he said they were going to wait on someone who might enter by the swinging cupboard in the east hall." Yasuhara replied.

Lin knew exactly who the _he_ Yasuhara was referring to, and now he was concerned for the man. "Did they know you heard them?" Lin asked.

"No. They were at the back. I just heard their voices." With that, Lin closed his eyes for a moment, then opened again after a while. Yasuhara was staring at him, looking concerned.

"Are you okay?" Yasuhara asked. Lin nodded.

"I sent my other shiki to Mai." He replied.

"They aren't really...supernatural..."

"I sent it to warn her, so she can tell Naru."

Yasu only hoped they would heed the warning. _They are both stubborn._

 

*

 

"Naru! Naru! Slow down, what's wrong?!" Mai exclaimed as she ran after him, who was now brisk walking.

"Just follow me." He deadpanned.

Mai stopped walking. It took Naru two steps to notice that nobody was following him. He turned. Mai was standing there, hands on her hips.

"Mai." He growled.

"You asked me to follow you for no reason. Please don't keep me in the dark." She replied.

She was right. She had to know. He walked in front of her. "They are rummaging through files, Mai. They're hacking through the SPR's database to know who I am."

Mai's irritated looked turned into a look of concern. "Did they...?" She trailed off, knowing that he would know what she was asking.

"No. Madoka asked the tech before to remove files concerning information about SPR's members since last year." He replied.

_What's with last year?_ "So you have nothing to worry about. What is this about?" She asked, feeling herself leaning to the wall- she was just beside where Emily's portrait hung.

Naru was getting closer, he was silent, his eyes boring into hers. _What is he up to now?_

"Naru-"

_"Are you sure they're going to be in here?"_

_"If they want to solve the case one of them will have to go here."_

_"Isn't this the wrong one?"_

Mai heard no more as she felt Naru drag her to the other wall opposite them, hearing his back lean with a loud thud on the wall.

She crashed into his arms. "Naru, what-?"

She was interrupted when she felt the wall shift behind them.

Gone were the lights of the hallway.

It was just darkness. And the warmth radiating from Naru's body.

 

Oh, and how Naru held her close during the wall shift.


	8. Ungodly Possession, Part Six

 

OF ALL THE CLICHE SCENERIES FROM ALL THOSE CHICK FLICKS SHE KNEW, Taniyama Mai realized as she tried to navigate through the dark, narrow halls she was currently in, that whoever is responsible for her always ending up with that one person she wanted and at the same time _the last person she wanted to be stuck with the most,_ this situation she was in would be straight from the pages of a paranormal romance novel.

She usually calls them _'accidentally published fanfiction'_ anyway.

"Hand me your phone." Said person now snapped her from her lingering thoughts as he stopped walking and faced her, his features now illuminated by the light coming from his phone. He looked agitated. _When does he not look agitated?_

Also worried-this Mai notices. _That's something new._

Well this was Naru she was observing. She wouldn't really be surprised about his unpredictability.

She didn't really expect he'd come back after all.

"Mai."

"hmm?"

"I was asking for your phone."

"why?" She replied as she motioned to his phone he was holding onto.

"Mine's running out of battery."

Mai decided not to argue and merely handed him her phone. Naru took it, placed his phone back, and used hers as a light, and then they both proceeded to walk. There was something off about Naru, and she decided that bickering with him won't get them out of this weird corridor- _or is it a tunnel? A secret passageway of some sort?_

 

*

 

Turns out using a very dark and creepy passageway hidden behind a wall with a portrait will lead them to the backyard.

Well, sort of.

"This isn't the backyard." Mai exclaims as she heard Naru swing the door shut behind her.

"It certainly isn't what Mr. Watson showed us." Naru replied as he was now beside her, taking in the view. Observing with his calculated stares.

"I don't think that's what the creepy looking passageway is for if this is the backyard he showed us, right?" Mai replied.

"This wasn't on the mansion's plan."

"plan?"

"the landscape map. Have you seen this?" The unsaid phrase of _with Gene_ was left hanging in the air.

"Can we go to the left?" Mai suddenly asked.

"Is that your gut speaking?" Naru asked back, his stare now focused on Mai.

If this was before, she would have blushed deeply and just stuttered out a yes under his gaze. But now she just looked towards the vast greenery before her.

"Yeah."

"Okay."

Of course it wasn't like before. Because now she was just ignoring and he was there saying okay.

But they walked down to the left and followed a rock path anyway, both of them remembering the path they took so they wouldn't get lost.

Because getting lost together would be really unadvisable.

 

*

 

"Where is she?"

"Monk-san calm down. Lin says she is with Naru then they'll be okay."

"That's the last thing you want to happen." Masako interrupted the now kind of panicking group after Lin broke the news that Mai and Naru are up to something. Together, according to him, they are now trying to discover where the secret passageway leads to. As cliche as it sounds. At least that's what the shiki reported to him.

John, who was trying to calm down Monk down was now staring at Masako with confusion.

"Don't they usually solve the case when they're out exploring together? Well, at least an important part of the case?" John asked.

"We'd really be thankful if they are successful with whatever they're trying to tackle," Yasuhara answered after a few moments of silence.

"Why do I feel there's a _but_ in there somewhere?"John replied.

Yasuhara gave him a sad smile. " _but_ it'll even be greater if there won't be emotional...repercussions."

 

*

 

It was a vast, empty field. No creepy steel containers, no wooden huts with secret underground passages, no thick garden walls to create a maze.

But there was them.

The field.

And then Oliver Davis.

 

Okay, pseudo-Oliver Davis.

 

"Dr. Davis, a pleasant surprise." Naru greeted in mock courtesy.

"Your face seems to contradict the intended greeting, Shibuya-san." Pseudo-Oliver commented, undisturbed by Naru's threatening glare.

_There has to be an inside joke about 'Testosterone filling up the air' somewhere._ Mai thought as she let Naru lead this confrontation to wherever it would lead up to.

"You were expecting us." Naru deadpanned.

Pseudo-Oliver looked amused. "I expected _you,_ I didn't expect your _partner_ with her spirit guardian."

Mai froze. No one knows about Gene except her SPR associates. Unless-

"You can sense spirits now? How long will you keep adding your talents? Surely your resume would be hard to carry with your long list of abilities." Naru snapped back.

"Until I reach the abilities that you have written in the original, _Davis-san."_

"Here to commit another _'supernatural phenomena',_ _Watson-san?_ "

"If it involves of not clearing this mess up, i'll pass." Watson replied as he went forward towards where Mai and Naru were standing. Naru made Mai step backwards, which made Watson chuckle.

"I know you're very, very smart, Davis-san, but I never knew you lack on understanding human empathy." Watson said as he stopped walking. "Have I not expressed my intent on meeting you here?"

"I think the word you're looking for is _clearly,_ Watson-san. If that is the case, then no." Naru replied.

"Oh." Watson remarked, mocking surprise. "If that is the case, then let me put it this way, I want to finish this case, _Oliver._ Can I call you Oliver? It's just so tiring to say 'Davis-san' or 'Watson-san', isn't it, _Taniyama-san?_ "

Mai hid her surprise by merely raising an eyebrow.

"see? Tiring! Call me Sebastian, that's my real first name by the way, my father-I mean my boss calls me differently but I always go by the name my father call me before he was shot by my boss." Sebastian then glanced at the two people who were now merely staring at him. "Sentimental, I know."

"I was thinking on _'borderline crazy'_ but sure, sentimental." Mai retorted, suddenly feeling exhausted with the flow of conversation.

"I appreciate the tone of your remark, Taniyama-san but-"

"Sebastian, right? Since you want to throw all the pleasantries out of the window, why don't you _explicitly_ state your purpose of waiting for us here?" Mai interrupted.

Sebastian cracked a smile. Then turned to Naru and said, "Follow me."

"Why?" Naru asked.

"Instead asking the possibility of me killing you both, which is with all due honesty, possible-it will always be, you ask me _'why'?_ " Sebastian remarked.

"I don't lack the understanding on human psychology, Sebastian."

"Well, _Oliver,_ i'll give you that. Let me rephrase what I said; _there are eyes and ears everywhere_." Sebastian sarcastically replied. "Now would you like to follow me or wait 'til everything blows apart?"


	9. Ungodly Possession, Part Seven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He feels a rustling of the fire as warmth circulates into the small shack they are all in, and from the side of his eye he sees Oliver huff as he throws more wood to the fire. He sees Mai handing him tea, smiling gently, not pressing him to speak, just drink.
> 
> And as he took the cup with his shaking fingers and place it on his lips, let the warm liquid ease him just a little bit, he answers the question.
> 
> "Am I my father's son? Of course. He wouldn't sacrifice his own for me if I am just a child he is fond of, don't you think?" He exclaims, venom absent in his sentence.

 

_HE'D GIVE THEM_ his signature cocky smile, but instead of them throwing back their sneers and challenging stares, it was the friendly type.

Especially _her_. It was not pity-all throughout his life it was the one look he'd always see from the people he's been with, and he can totally tell himself that it isn't. It was a look of understanding.

To think he once tried to kill her in her sleep.

Ah, well that was the past.

If there was something he could place as a personal motto of his life, it'd be to focus at the task at hand. As much as he doesn't like it that much.

It was a gamble.

At least, he's willing to take all the risks and chuck it up on "fate" and not on the usual logical side of things (like probabilities and chances, those things that are tangible).

Because at the end of the day he does want everything to change.

_A way out_ , his mind provides, and he sighs at the thought. Now that's something he'd really like. _Change of scenery,_ he adds, when really it means one thing.

To break the chains bounding him to the current him.

 

*

 

"There's no need for us to move to another place, Sebastian." Oliver replies, his hands now tucked in his pockets, his face on a mode that'll tell any person _'to just get down to business'_. Not that he sang that line. Nope, not really.

Oh he knows. But he just needs to be very careful.

"You'd prefer standing here, in the cold weather of Narita? I mean sure, we both are such strong men but would you like Taniyama-san to shiver here?" He replies, a smile to add.

With this he sees him tense. Sees him turn to glance at his partner, who, was really now feeling cold. He's not that stupid to see she's enduring it. He also sees the man he's supposed to be pretending as awkwardly shrug his jacket-

"Don't bother. I'm used to it. The cold. I'll be fine." She replies, as she shrugs his gentlemanly (yet really, really awkward) gesture.

_Is there some tension here that I'm not really getting?_ He knows about the cliche thing his boss father told him before about taking Oliver by his heart by this woman in front of him (which his initial reaction was more of a _'what.'_ ).

But he really thinks it's not really that.

Not that he's following _his majesty's orders_.

Noticing the silence, and with him deciding on just to see this whole thing throughout, he watches her fold her arms and start the whole ordeal.

"You wanted a truce?" She asks.

"Ah, no. Cooperation is what I wanted." Of course he'd reply. He's not really imposing a truce. Not required.

She stares at him for a while. "So what do you need help with?" She then asks, flashing him a kind smile.

_I don't need help._ His mind insists. But he decides not to say. "Solve this case."

"There is no actual case here, that's what you and your team seem to imply to us all for days." It was Oliver now who interrupts.

He doesn't reply. He leaves the thought of _'you do realize that I am supposed to be on the conspirators' side right?'_   unsaid.

"But there is. And now you're here, and what for again?" Oliver asks again.

He swallows, and struggles as he speaks out the next words. "I want this to stop."

"Everything?" Taniyama asks.

He stops for a moment. Thinks. The answer comes fast. "Yes." He says softly, as if whispering.

He then watches them look at each other for a while, as if a silent conversation was occurring between them. He sees him nod at her questioning glance.

"We'll take you up on your offer for a warm place." She tells him, with a smile that really puts him off. And from that smile turns into a combination of being surprised and tense as she feels Oliver's blazer jacket being draped on her shoulders.

He watches her protest easily dying down with Oliver's own retort about her not fussing with borrowing his long-sleeved polo but now fussing about a jacket.

"Let's go then." He only says as he leads them to that warm place he offered.

 

*

 

He always considered himself to be a man of a few words.

Well that is until he was forced to break out of his shell and thus, the flamboyant attitude of his boss' right hand was born.

Fake smiles, exuberant nothings for his associates, and a charming but devious personality.

That was the man his boss wanted. And that was what he got.

But today, as he looks out the glass window, where raindrops make its way down to the ground as it quenches the thirst of the vast greenery before _them_ , he can't help but think that today was a different day for him.

Because he wasn't the one who was making conversation. Initiating it, even. He was the one _answering_ and not throwing questions.

"So you're him?" Taniyama asks, still clutching the blazer jacket draped on her shoulders from earlier.

He doesn't answer. _Him?_ They have to be more specific with that question, and with the questions they can ask they ask _that?_

"Are you Robert Watson's long-lost firstborn?" Oliver asks now, as if sensing the questions he has in his head. Which is another thing that surprises him. He asks the questions in his head, not keep them swarming his thoughts.

"And what if I am?" He questions back, because that is the first time anyone asks him that question, and this is the first time he'll have to answer it truthfully.

He remembers - his father's kind smile, the times he'll take his small, chubby hands as he walks him around their vast garden, showing him the plants, telling him about the sunlight that keeps them all alive. He remembers exclaiming to his father that he sees sunlight, bright and kind and _exuding happiness and life_ , shimmering in his father's eyes.

He also remembers the seeing that same sunlight fade slowly as his father drops down the concrete floor, all black and grey and dreary and _plain depressing_ , lifeless. A puddle of red smashing the dark scheme but somewhat making it even worse. Making it even darker.

He feels a rustling of the fire as warmth circulates into the small shack they are all in, and from the side of his eye he sees Oliver huff as he throws more wood to the fire. He sees Mai handing him tea, smiling gently, not pressing him to speak, just drink.

And as he took the cup with his _shaking fingers_ and place it on his lips, let the warm liquid ease him just a little bit, he answers the question.

"Am I my father's son? Of course. He wouldn't sacrifice his own for me if I am just a child he is fond of, don't you think?" He exclaims, venom absent in his sentence.

He feels a small weight lifted off his shoulders, a weight he never knew he was carrying 'til now. There was a mix of happiness. And pride. Yes, he was his father's son. He really, really is. Is, not was. He is still his father's son.

He always would be.

He looks at the two people with him, the people he was asked to keep away or clear off his boss' path. Taniyama with her gentle smiles and understanding self, and Oliver. Him with the stoic wall around him, an aura of authority, but with a hidden warmth beneath it all. He sees it. He sees it the way he sits beside her, taking the cup she offers, not smiling but his eyes saying otherwise as he looks at her.

He feels the sunlight on them, but not as bright as it is supposed to be. There's a cloud looming over them, if he may put it that way.

"It's an insensitive question, my apologies." He hears Oliver exclaim after a while of just them on their teas and the silent pitter patter of the rain.

"I'd like to thank you actually. It's the first time I can answer that question, and in the way I wanted to. Thank you." He replies, a genuine smile for the both of them.

Taniyama smiles.

"It was also raining that day." He starts. Taniyama and Oliver were seeming ready to listen, so he continues.

"I remember screaming for help. Screaming his name. Screaming for my dad. Then I saw him. Saw him smile at me and say; 'dad's here, we're gonna go home now buddy, you'll see.', but he was so, so, wrong. He was shot in front of me. We never got home. _Never._ " His hands were shaking. He feels tears on the corner of his eyes. He wills not to let them fall.

He sees Taniyama share a look with Oliver, a silent conversation going between them.

Then, an "I know." from Taniyama.

"Astral plane?" He asks.

She smiles. "Yeah."

"It'll be a little while before the rain dies down." Oliver says. "You sure they won't go looking for you?"

"Nah. They won't. I told them I'll be working on my own, so they best not look for me and leave me alone." He replies, a little bit proudly.

Oliver seems to raise the question: _And you're proud of that?_

"they'd usually leave me alone. It means my work is about to be finished. My boss knows that too."

They don't have to ask him who that boss is, they both know.

"So what do you want to happen? We'll tell you that we can exorcize-"

"Cleanse, Naru."

"cleanse your father's spirit, but he'll be angry so Mai, do tell me how are you planning to appease him?"

"we'll know, Naru. But, _cleanse._ You need to stop worrying about us and start believing. There were more dangerous cases when you weren't around."

"...fine. But then, Sebastian. Then what?" Oliver asks.

This was the part he knows he'll have to say confidently, _'you leave that part to me'_ , because he always, always finds a way to end things but this time he wasn't so sure.

He believes _they_ can pull it off.

"Do your part. We'll do ours."

There's always a first time for everything.

 

*

 

There was his team when he got back.

"He wants to see you." One says.

"Will do. You can all retire for the night." He replies back as he makes his way to his boss' office.

He sees _her_ , clad in her usual evening wear, looking for someone.

"I thought I'd see you here." She tells him.

He smiles. "And to what do I owe the pleasure?" He asks.

She hands him a small envelope. "The day after tomorrow." She only says as he takes it from her, and she starts to walk away. He hides it on his blazer pocket, and remembers to say good night on her retreating figure.

He also remembers that he still has to wipe away the fond smile on his face if he wants to avoid questions from his boss.

 

*

 

He finds himself laying on his bed, staring at the ceiling after all the fiasco for today.

He congratulates himself on steering his boss' mind away on the idea of clearing off the SPR team, and managing to convince him that no, Kazuya Shibuya is not worth his time.

He feels light, and hopeful, and that's something he hasn't felt in years.

But he also hears a familiar voice from the other side of the hall, the distant tone.

The difference: she was just screaming.

He jolts up, but managing to stop himself from just scrambling to rush to the side of the SPR team acting very, very concerned.

So he settles for a faint wish on the wind for Taniyama Mai to be fine, consoles himself that she'll be fine, and lies back again to sleep.


	10. Ungodly Possession, Part Eight

HE CAN REALLY FEEL HER SUDDEN AVERSION to all things involving the unsaid conflict of _'twins loving the same woman'_. Then again he really can't blame her.

 _Noll,_ his conscience seem to chide, _you know that we're just friends._ And his conscience is his better half of a twin brother, who was apparently her spirit guide. _She's my best friend. I think._

 _Even Gene's not sure._ Naru thinks as he finally opens his eyes and snaps out from the trance he willed himself to be in.

 _Stop talking to me in third person, you idiot scientist!_ His brother exclaims in his head.

"Maybe if you'd stop assuming that I'm talking to you, there'd be no need to say that." He says to no one in the room, and he is thankful for that. It's not like everyone in his team knows he talks to his brother in his spare time.

 _And how would I explain that? 'Sometimes I can still hear his voice'?_ Naru thought.

 _It isn't sometimes, you twat. You know why you can hear me. We're still connected._ His brother tells him.

 _I know. Is this your way of telling me I'm keeping you anchored here?_ Naru replies back, settling himself to stare at the ceiling while he waits for his brother's reply.

_Not...exactly._

_Ah, so will this be the part where I'll have to drop the subject of this conversation and tell you what I think about this case?_ He replies to his brother's hesitation.

_I'll advice you to close it already but it looks like you know what you have to do. I agree with Mai-chan though,  a cleansing would be preferable._

Naru knew then that whatever the real reason for his brother's stay here, he'll know if (a) Gene actually tells him why, (b) he'll know it from Mai herself, (c) an event will trigger the release of the information. From experience, he knows it’ll be either (c) or a mixture of all; a terrible mixture. 

He stares at the ceiling, all dim and black, the blurry shape of the closed light in the middle. _I’m not sure,_ he initially thinks—and he holds his breath, in shock—when was he ever not sure? _If I want to know what Gene is keeping._

 

*

His sleep is interrupted by a shrill scream of a woman. It jolts him awake, to the dark surroundings of his quarters. The continuous screams with a mixture of pleas of help and _for mercy_ made him run, as fast as his legs can take him to the familiar route towards the woman’s sleeping quarters.

Half of him doesn’t want to believe that it was _her_ who was screaming. Who was stuck in another dream, where she’ll be prone to danger and _he can’t do anything about it_ but he sees the light from _her room_ , from the opening the door gives.

And even though he knows he can’t, he runs faster.

He rushes and yanks the door fully open, rushing inside.

The light blinds him at first, making him stop at his tracks, his eyes adjusting.

“Naru!” he hears Masako call for him, which snaps him to attention, and looks towards _her._

Monk and Yasu are holding Mai down, who was convulsing on her bed. Ayako was beside her, trying to pry her awake.

Nobody was doing _anything_ to get her back, he muses to himself.

“We tried. But something’s holding us back. We can’t reach her, Naru. It’s as if she doesn’t want to be pulled out.” It was John who supplies him the answer, to which he says nothing.

_Noll._

He gets shocked with the tone accompanying his name. _What is it, Gene?_ He counters.

_She’s stuck._

_You want me to get her for you?_ He counters, _Couldn’t you step in and be her lovely knight in—_

 ** _Naru! Are you even aware of what you’re telling me?_** Gene snaps back, irritated. _Do you think she would still be in that condition if I can pull her out?_

 ** _I’m dead, Noll._** Gene says again afterwards. _It has to be someone who can be compatible with her PK so that she can pull herself out. She’s in shock, I think. She doesn’t want to leave because she’s actually reliving the ghost’s memory._

Naru doesn’t reply. He stares at the scene looming before him. He knows he had to move.

 _Noll,_ Gene calls out again, this time with urgency. _There’s a reason why I’m her guide and not her partner. **Pull her out.**_

So he tries. He tells Yasu and Monk to standby. He holds Mai in their stead, his hands gripping her shoulders, tightly. He can feel her calming down.

He closes his eyes, and concentrates.

“What,” Yasu exclaims, noticing Mai quieting down, “What is Naru doing?”  He asks, going near to her bed, but Monk holds him in place.

“Don’t,” Monk tells him. “We don’t know what happens if we distract or interrupt Naru.”

It was a good thing none of that distracted him, especially Yasu’s hesitance. He uses his PK to channel and reach for Mai’s own, to find her in the astral plane.

 _You don’t need to go there yourself,_ he hears Gene talk as he concentrates. _Reach out for her, make her feel your presence. Your PK is enough._

It was almost as if Naru heard him _you’re enough_ but he decides to ignore the notion. He feels the darkness looming over, as if he’s a lone child in a middle of a dark, deserted corridor.

 _Gene,_ he calls out with urgency. _This isn’t-_

 _Keep searching,_ Gene tells him. So he does.

He continues, to go through every corridor, calling out for Mai in his head, recalling her presence, her emotions everything.

He feels a tug behind him, and he gets pulled out.  He feels his body flinch, and he opens his eyes to see Mai looking at him, tears looming at its corners. His expressions softens. _Worry_. _Concern._ He can label everything he feels but there’s one main that looms, the one that overtook everything the moment he saw her looking back at him, _relief._

“Mai,” he calls out. _Are you okay?_ The question stays in his head.

“Thank you,” Mai tells him, as she starts to sit up, taking Naru’s hands to hers and holding them. He doesn’t let go, he just looks back. “I’m…okay, I think.” This she addresses to everybody else in the room, offering them a kind and thankful smile. “I’m sorry to have disturbed your sleep.”

“Jou-chan,” Monk starts. He doesn’t continue it though.

Mai doesn’t talk much after. Naru takes the initiative to break the group and let them rest.

“You can go back to your rooms and sleep, I’ll take the first shift.” He gently lets go of her hands. He stands up and walks out of the room, in typical Naru fashion; and heads towards the “headquarters”.

 

He doesn’t hear Mai telling everybody to do as he says, and  her also taking the first shift with him.

 

*

 _Gene, I apologize._ He calls out when he finds himself alone, facing the monitors in the room. _Thank you,_ he adds.

 _I know._ Gene replies. _You need to stop thinking about that you know, because that’s not true. I might try my best to save her, but at the end of the day, you know what? **It’s you she’s looking for.**_

He doesn’t know if he even deserves that. After everything he’s done.

His thoughts get interrupted with a sound of porcelain clinking against the table, and the smell of tea. He looks to side to see that it was, in fact, _tea_ ; and yes, he tells himself as he looks up , expecting to see Lin, it was _her._

“Thank you.” He tells her. She gives him a small smile in return, and sits on the chair beside him.

“I figured it’s what you needed.” She says afterwards. _Maybe, but it’s not what I needed the most._ Is  what his brain supplies for him, which he shuts down to how cliché it sounded.

“Thank you,” is what he repeats.

They didn’t say anything to each other for a while, until he figures he should ask her if she needs anything because she did it for him, totally not because he wanted to be of service to her.

“Do you need anything?” He asks, admitting that it doesn’t sound well as it should be.

“A listening ear, I guess.” She replies.

“Good,” he assures her. “I’ve got two.” He continues.

“Oh?” Mai replies, smirking. “Just now?” She teases, because it was, as he realized; _completely out of character._

“I think I’ve always had, Mai.” He replies. “I just say it at the right time.”

Mai smiles. It’s nice, he thinks, to see her gentle and understanding smile beneath all her fierce facades.

It’s not bad to give a listening ear now and then.

Especially if it’s _her_.

 

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Hit me up @darkhufflephan on tumblr to join me in the perpetual depths of ze trash bin  
> or @sapphire-elliore (also on tumblr) for writing related stuff!
> 
> <3


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